Lucifer's Rules

It was a week from that day in Dan's flat to when the bird could be brought around again, but they had all decided pretty much unanimously, that Dusty should be included and hang around with them at least once a week for bonding purposes.

His wings were now fully feathered, and it seemed Dan had picked up a fascination with his down. He didn't have a lot of it, mainly because insulation was pretty much a moot point in Hell. He still grew it out though. The powder helped sooth itches.

It's the main reason he had decided to not take baths for the wings in the hot tub. The mess was Hell to clean out for the filters and he refused to do it by hand. He had been avoiding pool parties like the plague lately, because of the mess he made in water.

That was alright though, because Dan always managed to hit all the right spots with the hose now.

The one problem with the feathers now fully grown out was the looks his flock kept giving him which meant only one thing. They wanted to see them in action.

They wanted him to fly.

Dan didn't seem to understand that he needed to strengthen the wings first. Exercise them and use them for other things before he even attempted to fly. And, yes, he may be a tiny bit afraid of plummeting to the ground once in the air.

Falling will do that to an angel.

Ella did understand but was impatient with how long he was taking.

It had only been a few days since he was remotely flight worthy. The feathers of his new wings had grown out strong and perfect. They were bright, pure white. He was undoubtedly quite proud of them. They may be slightly better than his old ones in looks.

He very quietly thanked his dad when he was alone one night shortly after they had stopped their growth.

Point was, flight for the moment was out while he strengthened the muscles that had not yet been used for anything but to flap the wings to dry them off after showers.

He may also have forgotten how to fly after such a long time not being able to. He hoped it was like the saying humans had about bicycles and never truly forgetting no matter how long it's been.

"Lucifer? Where do you want this?" Dan asked, pulling him out of his thoughts on flying and back into his flat, where Dan was standing holding a perch. He got up off his couch and stood back to see where around it would be most appropriate.

"By the balcony door, I think. Plenty of sunshine and good view of the city lights if he's up late at night."

A second cage for Dusty had been brought and put in place by the bookshelves, where it was out of the way, but still near the windows. A perfect place for a night's roost for any tired bird. The perch was for the days after.

The couch was covered in blankets of royal blue, to keep any waste the bird may deem fit to drop on it while he and his flock got together and watched television during Thursday evenings.

That was the plan anyway.

Dusty was singing in the background, a constant clamour of sound and nonsense which was oddly calming in nature. He understood the significance of another cage for him and the new perch. It seemed the bird of the flock was just as excited as the humans were over being accepted.

His wings were out and at rest. He kept flexing them out, glad his flat was so open plan so he could stretch them. The more he moved them and got used to the movements, the faster he will be in the air.

He was suddenly missing flying himself and his wings spread out and gave a few experimental small flaps of suppressed joy.

"So! What should we watch first?" Ella asked, flopping down onto the couch, shortly followed by Dan. He sat down between them, curling a wing around each. Dusty was already checking out his new perch, which had a good view of the television too.

They debated that for a while, before deciding on Lost. Before they put on the first episode which they had already queued up ready to go, Lucifer held up his hands.

"Wait a second. Just making sure if this is all good for us as a group. Because things could still get messy. Dusty is going to be flying around. Ella has watched it before, so spoilers to yourself. And...I feel like there should be rules or something."

Ella and Dan turned to him, and he had no idea which way to look, but as he was used to doing nowadays things automatically went straight to Ella. He quickly then looked over to Dan, then Dusty on his perch, eating a berry in the bowl set up on it.

"I think it really strange to say this, but I have the order now. I mean, I think it's been there since the start, but I now know it as a fact and not just something that is instinct."

"Order to what?" Dan asked.

Ella laughed. "The flock silly. Every member has a place they belong."

Lucifer nodded. "No pecking, no fighting if you can help it, no plucking of feathers or hair if you happen to not have any. I want peace here, not constant fights to go up the order. I'm not a bloody chicken."

Dan frowned at him. "Are you giving us rules on how to be a flock, or rules for what not to do on Thursday nights?"

Lucifer grinned. "Both, since Thursday is now our flock night. And I can bond better with Dusty here where I can open my own wings than a your place. So, Fridays is bird bonding day.

Dusty screeched out his protests to that. He liked bring the one with the bigger wingspan in the house. Too bad for Little Bird. Lucifer's wings were much bigger.

"I think I already know the answer to this from observation alone, but come on, don't leave us hanging."

He smiled wider. "Ella as my pseudo mate comes first, then Dan who gives better wing showers and then Dusty, who is new and therefore going to be there by default."

They both went quiet at that for about two seconds, before Dan smirked. "I give better showers."

Ella shrugged. "I get to cuddle up to all this warmth." And with that, Ella lay against his side and his wing followed the movement. That would hurt come morning if he stayed in that position, but he rightly didn't care.

His flock were all here and doing social things like flock should and would keep on doing that unless otherwise stated or something happened.

For the first time in a very long time, Lucifer was honestly happy with how his life was going.

And of course things had to be disrupted right then by a ding, followed by a gasp and a glass hitting the floor. They all turned towards the sound.

Somehow he should have realised that without locking off the lift for the night, someone would come up.

He just wished it hadn't been the Detective.