[detroit!AU: Summoning]

[stilljustandrew]

There's a triple circle on the floor of the room: standard Summoning, and two extra tracks. The one of holy oil is a matter of last resort.

Oddly enough, it's the true name part that's easiest this time.




Andrew speaks the last words of the Summoning, and rises to his feet.

Comments

[stilljustandrew]

That's never a good sign.

"There's no Binding," he says; and while it's meant to sound like an expression of assurance, it comes out sounding hasty, conciliatory, just short of cringing.

[gavemea_45]

"So I see."

He glances up at Andrew, even as he comes unerringly to a pause at the point of the circle that's closest to him.

"Why not?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Because I'm not interested in keeping you here against your will. Even if I were strong enough, which you and I both know I'm not."

It's the truth, and he knows it now more completely than ever. It's all he can do to hold himself straight and look Lucifer in the borrowed face.

"I wanted to talk to Sam. That's all."

[gavemea_45]

"That's all," he repeats, and smiles. "Of course."

Lucifer looks directly into Andrew's eyes.

"What did you want to say to him?"

[stilljustandrew]

Andrew swallows hard.

Almost inaudibly: "I'd rather say it to him."

[gavemea_45]

"You will be."

"He hears you."

[stilljustandrew]

"Not good enough."

He's visibly shaking now.

"Let me hear him."

[gavemea_45]

He shrugs.

"I suppose there's no reason I can't be generous."

Lucifer smiles again, and slowly lowers his gaze.

Everything goes quiet and still for a moment, and then the air within the innermost ring seems almost to ripple around him with a single swift shiver.

His head jerks up.

"Andrew?" The voice is tight and strained, but unmistakably Sam's. "Andrew, no, what are you doing--"

(Within the carefully-shaped illusion, Lucifer watches, still smiling.

As the old saying goes: be careful what you wish for.)

[stilljustandrew]

"Sam?" Andrew's voice is strained too, hope and dread mixed together.

He's still in there. Oh god.

[gavemea_45]

He shakes his head. "You shouldn't have summoned him. You shouldn't have done it. Do you realize what that means?"

[stilljustandrew]

"...What?"

It's not what he was going to say. At all. But it's the oldest rule of Summoning, know what you're calling upon, and this --

"What does it mean?"

[gavemea_45]

"You should run. Right now. Get out of here."

He leans forward, right to the edge of the circle.

"Go. Leave me."

[stilljustandrew]

"Or what?"

Andrew steps forward, at the parallel edge of the outermost circle.

"What happens if I don't?"

[gavemea_45]

He shakes his head again. There's a bare second's beat, no more than that, and it bursts out of him in a near-agonized cry--

"Why are you even here?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Answer me."

His arms are down at his sides now, hands clenched. And there's concern in his tone, but rising under it is an undeniable anger.

[gavemea_45]

In the blink of an eye, all the air in the room goes heavy and still, as with the weight of a gathering storm.

Very, very softly, almost incredulously,

"You're giving me orders?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Just one." His jaw works. "Just this. Because you owe me. After what you pulled."

[gavemea_45]

"No. I don't."

He levels a flat look at Andrew.

"I did what had to be done."

[stilljustandrew]

"That's exactly what you owe me. I want to know what changed your mind."

He rocks slightly as though about to take a step forward, crossing the line of the circle, but stays where he is. His eyes don't leave Sam's face.

"I want to know what was so terrible about Lucifer talking to me that it made you knuckle under."

[gavemea_45]

He bows his head.

The air around him shivers a second time, and when he looks back up, he's smiling with gentle sympathy.

"I think that's enough of that," Lucifer says.

[stilljustandrew]

His jaw clenches hard enough to send a spike of pain through his temples, and for a moment he doesn't trust himself to speak.

[gavemea_45]

"That's really all you wanted to know?" he marvels. "That's why you summoned me?"

[stilljustandrew]

"Yeah." Shortly.

He bends to pick up the book lying open at his feet, shuts it, tucks it under his arm as he straightens.

"You can see yourself out."

And he turns for the door.

[gavemea_45]

"Oh, I don't think so."

There's bright steel in his words, a matching brightness growing in the very air, and the walls of the room give a single, violent shudder at the sound of his voice.

The door lintel lets out a scream as the wood warps, twisting to hold it shut.

[stilljustandrew]

Before the first note of the scream has faded, Andrew wheels back to face the circle, his hand diving into his pocket.

The lighter hits the floor, and the circle of holy oil goes up in flames.