“Take me there.” Lucifer ordered Gust as soon as they were outside. Gust stood perplexed before nodding and walking towards the street. Lucifer caught up with him. “Hey.” Gust kept walking. “Hey!” He stopped.

“Yea?” Gust said, eyes staring straight ahead, avoiding Lucifer.

“Do you really think I look good?”

Lucifer knew he was hot. His posture, his tone, and his strut that made his hips sway all oozed out his confidence. Under his mask, Lucifer’s lips were pursed tightly. 

“I...yea. You look good.” 

“Say it to my face.” Gust turned and looked directly into Lucifer’s eyes. Lucifer stepped closer. Gust examined him.

He didn’t stutter. “You look incredible, and I’m sorry. To you and Ferek both. I think I understand him a little better.”

Lucifer laughed. “Oh, I know I look great. I’m sorry too. I don’t think I’ve been too honest. Let me make it up to you.” Lucifer slid under Gust’s arm and wrapped an arm around his waist. “You’re blushing. Time for the show.”

Gust seemed surprised at first, but held his arm and body in place. He took the first step and together they walked through Berkan. The streets just before dusk lost their afternoon buzz, but enough people still mingled at shops. Lucifer guided their steps to the middle of the road. Everyone eyed them both, but their gawks fixated on Lucifer. His pale skin practically shined in the remaining sunlight. He held his strut despite Gust’s straight-set walk and holding Gust’s waist at the same time. Every so often, he would lift his spare arm to his face and brush his hair back above his ear.

Meanwhile, Gust practically vibrated the whole trip. People weren’t just staring at them; they bore into them and ogled them. Gust thought he heard their whispers in his head

“Right in the street?”

“What’s with that mask?”

“What’s that boy doing with an Eruli like that?”

“How could they just…”

Gust’s paranoia was interrupted by Lucifer pinching his behind. 

“You are holding a pretty boy who you think is dressed handsomely, and you’re focused on everything but him? Shame. Focus on me.” commanded Lucifer.

Gust shifted, and focused on the feeling of his slender shoulders in his arm, and the tingle he felt where Lucifer’s arm wrapped around him. He felt hips  poke into him as Lucifer’s strut pushed their bodies near and then apart over and over. He noticed how, despite the extra movement, the beautiful boy still stepped to match Gust and avoid tripping over each other. His blonde hair bobbed up and down in perfect rhythm, and for a while, Gust’s head quieted and his thoughts were filled with admiration for his friend. However, this couldn’t last. Gust’s nerves got the better of him as the amount of people thinned out. He asked to just hold hands and walk normally to which Lucifer obliged.

Hand-in-hand, they continued to Astrid’s party as the sun continued its descent behind them.