They sat at the dining table, the simple meal of eggs and rice between them. Unlike the clumsy struggle of the morning, Lucifer now wielded her spoon and fork with effortless, practiced grace, each movement precise. Cain watched, surprised, as she ate without spilling a single grain.
Throughout the quiet meal, Cain would occasionally glance over at her. Each time, he found Lucifer had perfectly timed his look, pausing with her utensil in mid-air to beam a bright, pleased smile directly at him before resuming. It was both endearing and slightly unnerving.
After they finished, Cain stacked the plates. "So," he began, recalling her earlier claim, "you're washing these?"
Lucifer nodded immediately. "Yes. I will purify the food vessels." She took the plates from his hands with a solemn air, as if accepting a sacred duty.
Cain watched her for a minute as she stood at the sink, her back straight, examining the sponge and faucet with intense concentration before beginning to scrub with methodical, exact strokes. Satisfied she had the process under control, he walked into the living room and switched on the television, the sudden noise and light a comforting return to normalcy.
He glanced back toward the kitchen.
Do I look like I'm taking advantage of her? he wondered, a twinge of guilt surfacing. I feel like my laziness kicked in the second she said she could do chores. But… she's probably going to stay for a while. Learning basic tasks might actually help her blend in.
His eyes widened as a more tempting, dangerous idea bloomed.
Can she duplicate money? If she can create eggs out of thin air… If yes, I might not ever need to find another job.
He shook his head vigorously, as if to dislodge the thought.
No. That's a terrible idea. That's exactly taking advantage. I don't want to exploit her… naivety.
He forced his attention back to the television, flipping channels until he landed on a documentary about the Apollo moon landings. The grainy footage and solemn narration drew him in, pulling his mind away from celestial roommates and into the vast, silent expanse of space. He became so engrossed in the story of human ingenuity and risk that he lost track of time and his surroundings entirely.
A creeping sensation finally broke his focus—the distinct, silent feeling of being watched. He slowly turned his head.
Lucifer was there, sitting on the couch beside him. She must have finished cleaning and sat down without a sound. Her golden eyes were fixed on him, unblinking, her face a mask of serene observation. She had been watching him watch TV.
Cain jolted, his heart leaping into his throat. He scrambled backwards on the couch, a hand flying to his chest. "The fuck! You scared the shit out of me!"
Lucifer's expression transformed instantly. Her serene mask shattered into one of genuine, wide-eyed horror. She flinched back as if struck. "I am… I am frightening you? I apologize profusely. That was not my intention. I know my nature is terrifying, but I did not mean to manifest it here. I am sorry." She stood up quickly and gave a stiff, formal bow, her distress palpable.
Cain's shock melted into a sharp pang of guilt. He hadn't meant it like that. "No, no, wait," he said, holding up his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean you're scary. Humans just say things like that when we get surprised. Jump-scared. It's a reflex." He took a breath, wanting to be clear. "I don't feel fear towards you. Not like that. Honestly… I feel safe around you."
Lucifer's bowed head lifted slowly. Her eyes, which had dimmed with dismay, now lit up like twin dawns. A smile spread across her face, so wide and bright it seemed to fill the dim room. She leaned forward, her distress completely forgotten, captivated by his words. "You feel safe? With me? Please, articulate that sentiment once more."
Cain felt his cheeks grow warm. "It's so cringe to repeat that stuff. No way." He deflected, gesturing to the television. "Just… come watch this with me. It's interesting. I thought you might like to see it."
Lucifer nodded eagerly, her curiosity successfully redirected. She sat back down, but this time she settled so close beside him their arms touched. Cain subtly shifted to create a small gap. Lucifer shifted with him, closing the distance again. After a second failed attempt, Cain sighed and gave up, accepting her instinctive clinginess.
On screen, astronauts in bulky white suits bounced across a gray, desolate landscape.
Lucifer stared, her head tilting. "How were those humans shrunk and put inside that glowing box?"
Cain chuckled. "It's a television. It's like… a window to another place, or a recording of something that already happened. Like the phone, but for pictures and sound." Even as he said it, he knew his explanation was shaky.
Lucifer, however, nodded with grave seriousness, as if he had just explained a profound universal truth. "I comprehend. A viewing portal for captured events."
As the documentary's narrator spoke in reverent tones about humanity's giant leap, Cain found himself narrating along. "This was one of our biggest achievements," he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "Landing on the moon. Going somewhere no one had ever been before."
Lucifer, who had been watching with academic interest, let out a soft, unmistakable scoff.
Cain looked at her. "What? What's funny about that?"
"That rock?" Lucifer said, her tone one of mild bemusement. "Michael fabricated that rock eons ago. She was attempting to traverse a particularly swampy region of the early Earth, and the sun's glare was disruptive to her progress. She created that simply to cast a moving shadow for shade. It is merely a useful rock." She glanced back at the screen where a flag was being planted. "I did not anticipate humans would journey to it and designate the voyage a monumental accomplishment."
"Really?" was all Cain could manage, his sense of human history shrinking just a little.
"Yes," Lucifer confirmed, as if discussing the weather. She then stood up, her earlier distress completely gone, replaced by a playful spark. She extended her hand to him, palm up. "In fact, I could transport you there at this very moment."
Cain stared at her offered hand. The documentary's triumphant music swelled in the background. A wild, insane curiosity battled with every shred of his self-preservation.
This Christmas can't get any crazier, right? he reasoned, the thought itself a surrender to the madness.
He reached out and took her hand.
Lucifer's smile was brilliant, triumphant, and filled with the promise of the impossible.