Belial quickly pulled her into the room and sat her in a chair as Lucifer leaned against the door frame,

"What happened?" Belial demanded as he removed the towel from his Baby Girl's hand, "Louie, did you have something,"

"No! Why would you accuse me?" He snapped, annoyed, as he pushed himself off the frame and began examining Belial's shelves and cabinets.

"Wouldn't be the first time you hurt her." He retorted, moving to grab a clean cloth and a bottle out of his cabinet.

"That was a mistake, one I apologized for." He grumbled, turning his eyes to his uncle as his anger grew, he regretted how he had dug his nails into her arm, scaring her and making her cry, but that was between them. Belial had nothing to do with it, and he didn't appreciate him commenting on it.

"It was my fault." She quickly defended as Belial soaked the cloth and dabbed her hand, causing her to hiss before she continued, "Stupid, really, I wasn't paying attention and knocked a glass off the table, which shattered on the floor. I started picking up the bigger pieces, and I think the rest is obvious. Lucifer helped. It hurt a lot, but he…uh, well, licked it and made it better." She defended as her cheeks glowed.

"See? Completely innocent." He huffed as he turned his back to them. He could hear mumbling as Belial asked her about the injury, but he focused on the baubles Belial liked to collect. Medical instruments and small vials filled with odd things, quite a few Lucifer himself brought back as gifts for his uncle. His thoughts wandered back to his Baby Girl, causing the corners of his mouth to pull up, thinking about what had happened in their room. She was panicking, and he wanted to bring her back; take her mind away from the pain, so he did what he did best. He had taken her fingers into his mouth, hoping to get a reaction: surprise, shock, embarrassment, or even anger. Something to focus her and take her mind away from the panic, but what he hadn't expected was arousal. Also, to his surprise was how he reacted. The smell was so intoxicating and sweet that he found himself a bit drunk off it for a moment. It was just as delicious as her blood, and he craved more of it. He wanted her to want him. Before, he just wanted her to submit, but now? Now he wanted her to beg for his touch, and as he thought about the feeling of her fingers on his tongue, something stirred deep inside him, but he quickly forced himself back to where he was. "Time and place, Louie." He mumbled to himself while turning to face both Belial and his wife. He strolled over as Belial worked carefully, stitching closed the wound. Lucifer, wanting to test something, grabbed his Baby Girl's uninjured hand and rubbed his thumb soothingly over the top of her knuckles,

"What are you doing?" She asked as confusion and annoyance saturated the air around him.

"Being here for you in your time of need, Baby Girl, just as any good husband should." He answered.

"Time of need?" She questioned.

"Of course, you cut your hand open. The shock alone is enough to deal with, but now having to have a medical procedure,"

"I'm fine, Lucifer." She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"And so quickly, we're back to Lucifer." He tsked, "Tell me, my infatuated doll, what shall we do about this little crush of yours?" He asked as her eyes widened and embarrassment took over the room. Belial raised a brow but nothing more as he continued to work on her hand.

"I think you misunderstood," She began glowing brightly.

"Nope, I clearly understood what you were saying." He countered as he circled her knuckles with his thumb, hoping to get a taste, but as he figured, it would take more than a simple caress.

"You're reading too much into what happened." She tried to reason.

"Humm, I don't think so, I know what you felt, and it was deliciously pure, intoxicating even." He smiled as he moved his hand to weave his fingers into hers as he leaned close to her ear, pushing her reddish-blonde locks out of the way before whispering, "Tell me, my innocent doll did I make you wet?" He asked as she pulled away from him with a gasp and yanked her hands out of his fingers,

"Seriously! Have you no shame?" She hissed angrily, trying to hit him as he chuckled and pulled away, barely missing the swinging hand.

"Stop it, you two!" Fussed Belial, "Kathrine Ann, hold still." He ordered.

She huffed at him with a look that he was sure would hurt if possible, "Don't be such a prude. Now since you've shown me you're interested, I suppose I should take you on a date."

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"A date?" She forced a laugh as her anger began to disperse.

"Yes, that's how courting works, correct?" He answered, letting his eyes wander around the room but not moving closer to her, afraid she would try to smack him again. Not that it would hurt him, but he didn't want to risk Belial unintentionally hurting her.

"Courting? I believe we skipped that stage, husband." She pointed out, emphasizing the last word.

"Well, if you think we're past simple dates, I'm more than willing to spend our nights doing what a proper married couple does." He replied, and she shot him that death stare again, which he pretended not to notice. "So tell me, Baby Girl, what do you want to do for our first date?"

"You're serious?" She questioned.

"I am. I want to take you out on a date. What harm could it do?" He answered, finally moving back towards where she sat.

"Oh, okay, I don't know, dinner maybe?" She proposed.

"We eat together every night. That's boring." He brushed off.

"We could go watch a movie?" She suggested next, but he shook his head.

"No, no, no, cliche things won't do. Tell me, what does Kathrine Ann like to do? What things make you happy?" He asked.

"Humm," She pondered for a moment looking at the ceiling as the air became thoughtful and light. She had found a happy thought or memory, maybe.

"Camping, I used to like going camping." She smiled.

"Like in a tent?" He asked curiously.

"Sometimes, I camped in tents a lot before I was married, but William's family owned a cabin on a lake out in the woods, and we would go there a couple of times a year. Once in the summer and again in the winter." She smiled, and a bittersweetness filled the air, "In the summer, we'd go canoeing, hiking, and swimming. I've always loved swimming—then ice skating, snowmen building, and sitting around the fire in the winter. We spent Christmas up there one year and even chopped down our own tree. Do you celebrate Christmas here?" She suddenly asked, pulling Lucifer out of the annoyance and anger that came over him.

"No, so camping, hum?" He pondered, trying to shake how he felt while listening to her talk about William. It wasn't that he cared about the dead man. It was because she was so happy and longing while she spoke of him and their time together. It didn't sit well with him like he had lost her for a moment, "Camping will work."

"What?" She snapped.

"Seems like a delightful first date, you and me. We'll camp out in the back." He decided with an affirming nod as he pulled out his phone and began texting away, "I have some work in the chambers this morning, but we can head out this afternoon."

"You're taking me camping in the backyard?" She asked with a laugh.

"Yes, and you will love it." He reassured.

~~~

By the time Belial finished his work on her hand, it was well past breakfast. They quickly grabbed a late breakfast and headed for their office,

"Are you serious about camping?" She asked as they walked. Her arm looped through his.

"Yes, do you not want to go? I figured you would be all giddy having your Luce and you out on a date." He teased, and she tensed up, "Oh come on, Baby Girl, it will be fun, I promise."

"Will it? You promise not to force yourself on me?" She asked.

"When have I ever? But yes, I promise I will not give any more than you ask." He reassured, crossing his heart, "All I want is to know more about my beautiful wife. What do you say? Two nights camping with me?" He asked, stopping in the hall and giving his best innocent and pleading look.

"Fine, but I swear if this is some trick,"

"Great! So like I said, I have some work to do, but so do you. You have a luncheon to organize, after all. I have a list of ladies to invite; all you have to do is send invitations. After that, we'll head out to the woods." He smirked, approaching his music room and pulling out his key.

"How am I supposed to write the invitations? They won't be able to read my writing." She asked.

"Already taken care of. Azazel will be here shortly to scribe for you. Tell her what you wish to say on the invitations, and she'll write them for you." He explained, unlocking the door and flicking the lights on before going straight for his desk. He sat down and pulled out some paper and his computer as she wandered around aimlessly. Opening the top drawer, Lucifer sifted through a few pages till he found the folded piece of paper he had scribbled down names on the other night while having drinks with Azazel, Milril, and Orad. He turned on the computer, and on a blank paper, he rewrote a few of the names before looking up their addresses and adding them next to the name. After a moment, he looked over the list and decided five guests would be fine for the first get-together. Looking up, he found his Baby Girl across the room, looking through one of his music books,

"Baby Girl." He called, snapping her attention to him as he held out the paper, "Here's the list of ladies and their addresses." She walked over and grabbed the list. "I kept it small, just the Duchesses and a couple of notable women." He pulled a fresh paper to himself and began scribbling down a list of camping supplies, stopping here and there to think.

"What are you doing?" She asked, watching him closely as her curiosity filled his senses.

"Making a list of things we'll need for our camping trip." He hummed, scratching off two cots and replacing them with a double cot.

"How are you going to get all this before this afternoon?" She questioned as the doors swung open to answer her question.

"You summoned Louie?" Milril bowed as he walked in, followed by Orad, "Good morning, Milady."

"Yes, take this. Get everything on the list before this afternoon, please." He ordered with a smile handing them the list.

"Camping?" Orad asked, staring at the list, "How romantic. Especially for you, my Prince."

Milril leaned close to his Baby Girl, "He used to take us camping." He loudly whispered before winking at her.

"Go on!" Lucifer snapped, causing Milril and Orad to laugh before bowing and quickly leaving.

"You're really taking me camping?" She asked, staring at him with a hint of excitement.

"For the last time, yes, we leave after lunch." He replied, standing and walking out from behind his desk, stopping only inches from her, bending down and lightly tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear before softly saying, "If my doll wants to go camping, then we go camping."