No. 31 - Tumblr Posts

Whumptober Prompt #31- Embrace and alt.Prompt#14- Touch-Starved

I can’t believe it!  My first Whumptober is already over!  Thirty-one days already gone past, thirty-one prompts filled.  It feels like just yesterday I started writing!  Well, I hope you all had as much fun reading them as I did writing them.  Thank you all so much for your support this last month, I treasure all of your comments and notes.  You really made me feel special. And now onto the story because I know that’s what y’all are waiting for ;) I started with Lucifer and I’m ending with Lucifer.  (Takes place after Prompt #4 Human Shield technically you don’t need to read it but it’ll help)

...

Lux was alive that night, as it always was, but Lucifer barely paid attention to the music and dancing.  He was waiting for Miss Lopez, as she had requested to speak to him.  She had yet to go up to his penthouse, so he was waiting at the bar for her.  He thrummed with anxious energy, though he never would’ve admitted to it, because he could not for the life of him figure out what she wanted to talk to him about.

Ever since that debacle with Michael, Miss Lopez had stuck to him like glue.  She hovered around him, getting closer than her usual, always trying to be bubbly but he could tell she was hiding something.  She was hesitating over something but he could not figure out what.

“Miss Lopez, may I ask you what exactly you are doing?”  Lucifer had finally broken when she asked to show him a new piece of evidence and it was nothing new.  “Why are you hovering over me like a vulture with its prey?”

“What?  No, I’m not.”  Miss Lopez had drawled out, her tone indicative that she knew had been caught but didn’t want to face it.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Something is clearly different about how you treat me.”  Lucifer had insisted.  “You are on the precipice of a cliff, and I am getting tired of you hesitating to jump.  What is it?  Is it Michael?”

Miss Lopez sighed.  “Look, Lucifer-”

“You needn’t fear, Miss Lopez.”  Lucifer said.  “I will protect you should she return, though I doubt she will.  Michael does not like to be challenged, and she will not return when she knows you have no problems challenging her.  Even if it is just calling her out on her bullshit.  There is no need to hide behind me as if she were to jump out at any corner.  Besides, I would sense her presence before you.”

“I’m not afraid of Michael, Lucifer.”  Miss Lopez said.

Lucifer’s shoulders slumped ever-so-slightly.  “If you’re not afraid of her, then what are you afraid of?  Me?  I mean, I am the Devil but nothing has changed, I swear to you.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Lucifer.”  Miss Lopez said hurriedly.  “I’ve never been afraid of you.  I’ve been friends with the Angel of Death since I was eight, you don’t scare me.”

“Then what?”  Lucifer said.  “What are you so afraid of?  Because I’ve noticed, something’s changed since Michael.”

Unfortunately, at that moment, one of Miss Lopez’s machines beeped at her, drawing her attention elsewhere, likely back to the case.

“Lucifer, maybe now isn’t the best time for this conversation.” Miss Lopez said.  “My mass spectrometer just got a hit.  You’ll be at Lux tonight, right?”

“Of course.”  Lucifer said.

“Cool.  I’ll meet you at Lux at eight.  Sound good?”  Miss Lopez said, smiling in her way.

“I cannot wait.”  Lucifer had said, smiling back, though he hardly felt like it.  What conversation could she want to have that she couldn’t have in her lab?  It had seemed so strange and it set him on edge.

So here he was, eight sharp, waiting at the bar for Miss Lopez to arrive.  He saw her in her normal jeans and jacket, not in her usual club wear.  She saw him, and her smile lit up his world.  Miss Lopez’s constant optimism had always been infectious, even to him.

“Hey, Lucifer!”  Miss Lopez called, racing to him.

“Hello again, Miss Lopez.”  Lucifer said.

“Wow, I didn’t think an early Wednesday night would be this busy.”  Miss Lopez said, glancing around at the throngs of dancers.

“Lux is always busy, love.”  Lucifer said.  “Perhaps we should pop up to my penthouse.  It’s quieter up there.”

“Yeah.  Yeah!”  Miss Lopez said, her smile spreading.  “I’ve never been up there!  Always wanted to see it!”

“Ask and ye shall receive.”  Lucifer led her over to his private elevator and called it down to them.

“You have your own elevator?”  Miss Lopez shrieked.  “That’s so cool!  Do you have a doorman? How do you stop people from going up? Is there a list?  Am I on the list?”

The bell dinged and they entered.

“In order, Miss Lopez?  No, I do it myself, I hardly have a need to stop people from going up, there’s isn’t a list but if there was you’d be on it.  My bouncers know you, that’s what matters.”

They arrived at his penthouse.  Miss Lopez whistled as she entered.

“Damn, Lucifer!”  Miss Lopez’s eyes went wide with shock.  “You’ve been holding out on me!”

“I’m glad you can appreciate it.”  Lucifer said, walking to the bar.  “Drink?”

“Lucifer, you should know better.”  Miss Lopez smirked.  “Of course.  Whatcha got?”

“Anything your heart desires.”  Lucifer gestured to his full stock.

“You know me pretty well, Lucifer.”  Miss Lopez said.  “Surprise me.”

He nodded, and poured her a glass of fifty-year-old scotch.

“So, Miss Lopez, why did you ask to meet me tonight?”  Lucifer asked, as he handed her the glass.  “I’m afraid I cannot understand why you hover over me nor why you insist to draw me closer than needed.”

Miss Lopez sighed.  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Lucifer. I just- I thought- I…”

He frowned at her.  “Miss Lopez, I’m afraid I still don’t understand.”

“IJUSTTHOUGHTYOUREALLYNEEDEDAHUG!”  Miss Lopez shouted, the dam clearly bursting.

He stared at her.  “What?”

“You need a hug!”  Miss Lopez shouted, startling him.  “Like really, really badly.”

“Miss Lopez?”  His voice sounded strangled, even to him.

“Meeting your sister, that was crazy!”  Miss Lopez kept going, apparently on a roll.  “I mean, she’s supposed to be the best of the angels!  And she’s the freaking worst!  I mean, four brothers wasn’t always great to grow up with but that must’ve been Heaven compared to growing up with her!  And you threw yourself on the line for us, knowing what she could do to you!  You protected us from the biggest threat to you, and you did it without hesitating!  And after that happened, after you kinda freaked when I hugged you, I realized why some of you is the way you are.  Growing up with a sister who hit you must’ve really freaked you out when it came to touching people.  I know Amenadiel isn’t the biggest touchy-feely guy so you must have grown-up so touch-starved.  Even Rae-Rae doesn’t really touch me and I’m, like, the biggest hugger ever!  And I haven’t been wanting to make you uncomfortable but you seriously need a hug!”

He just stared at her, completely stunned.  None of his human companions had ever told him he needed a hug of all things before.

Miss Lopez just groaned without words, clenching her jaw, and then threw her arms around Lucifer’s chest and arms.  He stood, still stunned, but after a moment, his skin started to crawl.

“Miss Lopez, while I appreciate that you are trying to show me affection, I am perfectly alright.”  He finally found his voice, the thrumming under his skin growing louder with each passing moment.  “I am in no need of a hug.”

He fought the urge to squirm, his skin was tickled with little pseudo-bugs, as if thousands of minuscule legs danced along his skin.  It felt awful, but he didn’t want to hurt Miss Lopez’s feelings.  She was trying to help in her own human way.

“How different biologically is this form from a humans?”  Miss Lopez asked, not letting go of him.

“I don’t know what you mean.”  He said, unable to fight the urge any longer.  The legs were now sharp, the crawling across his skin unbearable to him.  He felt like his skin was tearing itself apart.

“I mean, does this body you have react similarly to humans when introduced to stimuli?”  Miss Lopez clutched him harder to evade his writhing.

“I don’t know.”  Lucifer growled, unable to keep his voice down.  “Will you- Miss Lopez, please- I cannot- Will you release me?!?”

Miss Lopez finally released him at his nigh scream.  He scrambled back away from her.

“Lucifer?”  She asked, sounding almost afraid.

He struggled to get his breathing under control, his skin screaming out at him.

“What did you do to me?”  He asked.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Lucifer, it was just a hug.”  She said, starting to ramble.

“Must’ve been more.”  He snapped, unable to figure out what his nerves were screaming at him for.  She had let go.  “Why do I… feel this way?”

“What?”  She asked.

“Why do I still feel it?!?”  He shouted, startling her.  “My every nerve is on fire, I cannot stand it!  My skin is trying to…. something!  What did you do?”

Miss Lopez steeled her features.  “You’re touch-starved.”

“Touch- what?”

“Touch-starved.”  She repeated.  “Humans need touch to survive, we can fall into deep depressions, or even get aggressive to others because of it.  I was sure I recognized the symptoms when I first met you, and when I found out you were an angel, I dismissed it as a human flaw.  But after seeing Michael, and seeing how you view touch, you’re definitely touch-starved.  Another way to say it is skin hunger.  I think that’s what you’re feeling.”

“My skin is hungry?”  He asked, appalled.  “I’m dying!”

“No, no, Lucifer,” She held up a hand.  Part of him lurched for it and another part pulled him back.  “It’s just the word for it.  Because your nerves, your C-tactile afferents, haven’t been getting the gentle contact they need to function, your skin is unable to process it the way it’s supposed to.  You haven’t been touched enough.”

“I get more than my fair share, Miss Lopez.”  He snapped.  “I mean, just last night, I met this wonderful man who could-”

“Not sexual touch.”  She insisted.  “Gentle touch, sensual but not sexual.  I mean, when’s the last time you get a proper hug that wasn’t from me?  Or cuddled with someone instead of just sex?”

Lucifer’s mouth opened but no sound came out.  He tried a few times, searching his memory, but within Miss Lopez’s parameters, nothing came.

“That’s why you’re freaking.”  She very carefully came closer.  “You’re so used to painful touch your body has no idea how to process good touch.  Trust me, sex isn’t enough to satisfy your body’s needs.”

She gently touched his arm and rubbed up and down.  His skin screamed again, but the smooth, rhythmic motions made any protests he could make die in his throat.

“Miss Lopez, are you propositioning me?”  He asked, unsure of himself.

“No.”  She shook her head sadly.  “All I want to do tonight is watch Netflix with you on your expensive looking couch, drink your definitely expensive liquor, and cuddle you until morning comes.  That’s all.”

“My club, the case, I don’t- I can’t.”  He found himself being led to the couch, his heart not in his words.

“Lux will survive without you for one night.”  Miss Lopez said soothingly.  “Tell you what.  Why don’t you take off your jacket and nice suit, go sit on the couch, and pick something you wanna watch?  I can take it from there.”

He stared at her, the five-four human who had taken on the Soldier of God herself.  He decided to do as she said.  If she could offer him respite to this… hunger, as she called it, he would take it.  He didn’t understand why he was feeling this way, so he had to defer to her judgement.  So he started to remove his clothing.

“You want food or do you just want a drink?”  Miss Lopez called.

“Whatever you want.”  He answered on instinct.

“Food it is.”  She said.  “My treat.”

He barely heard her, his heart was beating hard against his chest.  He now was only in his underwear, and for the first time in his life, he felt rather exposed.  Maybe this was why Chloe hated it when he went without clothing.  When she returned, he found her only in a tank top and some booty shorts.  He frowned.

“Skin to skin contact.”  She said simply, settling in beside him.

She wrapped herself around him, where he was the little spoon for once, with his head tucked into the nape of her neck, his chest enshrined in her arms, her legs wrapped around his, but yet, he could tell that if he wanted to escape her hold, he would be able to.  But he found himself unable to force himself to.  He was… comfortable, for lack of a better word.

“What do you want to watch?”  She murmured, her lips almost brushing his ear, sending an unfamiliar feeling across his body.

“Bones?”  He offered.

Miss Lopez snorted.  “You know that show isn’t scientifically accurate in the least.”

“It’s fun.”  He pouted.  “Reminds me of the Detective and myself.”

“Alright, alright, since this is your night.”  She laughed into his hair.

“Thank you, Miss Lopez.”  He mumbled, switching on the television.

“We’re literally cuddling on the couch right now with takeout on it’s way.  We’re basically Netflix and chilling.”  She said.  “Least you can do is call me Ella.”

“Ella, then.”  He tested the name out.  It felt odd but safe, in a strange way.

Something very strange was definitely happening to him.  His skin no longer felt pain at her touch, especially since she had given him a way out if need be.  In fact, he felt a craving he had not felt since a time before he could remember.  He wondered if this was a side effect of the Detective making him mortal, or spending too much time on Earth.  But the longer he spent in Ella’s embrace, the less he cared.  Cuddling with her made him feel safe, sated, satisfied in a way he’d never felt before.  He realized that no matter what else happened tonight, he didn’t want Ella moving.  She was too close, too strong, too necessary for his happiness tonight.  Without a word, he nuzzled deeper into her neck, pleasure seeping into every fiber of his being.  He heard her chuckle breathlessly, and she started to lightly scratch at his scalp with her fingernails.  It sent shiver after shiver down his spine.  His brothers and sisters were wrong, the Silver City wasn’t Heaven.  Simply sitting with Ella with her fingers in his hair was Heaven.

They remained in silence until the food arrived.  Ella made to get up grab her wallet but Lucifer, having already grabbed his before he sat down, shoved money in her hands.  He wasn’t sure how much but he was sure it would cover the cost.

“I said I got this one.”  Ella protested.

“Ella, I believe you are doing me the favor here.”  He murmured.  “I’ll pay.  And I absolutely do not want you to move whatsoever and I don’t care what money it takes to keep you right here.”

As he was buried deep in her embrace, he missed the smile that had overtaken her face.  His usual delivery boy for Chinese takeout, doing favors for all of his favorite restaurants and always tipping well had its perks, didn’t say anything about the odd arrangement and simply placed the food on the coffee table.  Ella gave him the money, and the delivery boy went back down the elevator.

“I wasn’t sure what you wanted so I just asked for your usual.”  Ella whispered.

Lucifer only hummed in response to her.  He didn’t want food, he wanted this, never-ending.  Just him and his human, cuddled up close, without a care in the world.

“Well, when you want it, it’s here.”  She chuckled.  He wasn’t sure what she found amusing but he was glad she did.  She deserved to laugh, to be as happy as he was in this moment.

He paid less and less attention to “Bones”, his mind lazily drifting as the familiar episodes washed over him.  He had started with season one, in case Ella hadn’t seen any of the episodes, so she wouldn’t be lost.  Contentment filled his body and his mind, ever so slightly pushing him over the edge of sleep.  By the time a gentle voice was singing of a Winter Wonderland, his eyes were closed, his body lax, and his arms wrapped tight around Ella.  But he did not want to sleep.  Sleep meant he would lose Ella, he would wake up and she’d be gone, off solving crimes and examining evidence, and the world would begin to turn again.

“Go to sleep, Lucifer.”  Ella whispered in his ear, as if somehow reading his thoughts.  “I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

That seemed to be the final piece that pushed him over the edge.  He fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of soft laughter and light touches.  He’d never slept better.

Hi, this is the last work in my whumptober 2021 series.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my plot.

by ADGAEA

Peter wakes up in a strange world. Everything around him is sandy, and he can hear bombs in the distance. He wonders how he got there. He couldn’t remember how he got there. Where was he? He wanders around until he can see a helicarrier in the distance. He noted that he had a large cut in his side as well, and that he was in odd Egyptian-like clothes. The last thing he remembered was walking to the subway and being on his way to Ned’s house. What the heck happened, and why is there a talking bird?

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my plot!

Words: 11794, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 11 of ADGAEA’s Whumptober —— 2021

Fandoms: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Avengers (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel 616

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Peter Parker, Kang the Conqueror, Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man), Happy Hogan, Stephen Strange, Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), S.H.I.E.L.D. - Character, Friday (Marvel), Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Pepper Potts, James “Rhodey” Rhodes

Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker & Tony Stark

Additional Tags: Not Canon Compliant, Not Beta Read, Implied/Referenced Torture, Pain, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Kidnapped Peter Parker, Kidnapping, Multiverse, Hide and Seek, Hurt/Comfort, Trauma, Escape, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker’s Parental Figure, Hurt Peter Parker, Whump, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Parent Tony Stark, BAMF Tony Stark, BAMF Stephen Strange, Whipping