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It's 11pm and Lucifer has just got home from partying at Lux. His plan was to have a chilled night, a bottle of whiskey, sitting on the balcony with a book and just stargazing.
The elevator doors ping and there his mother stands, in all of Charlotte Richards glory. He sighs, she is the last person he wanted to see tonight. He goes over to his bar and takes off his jacket, “what do you want mother?” He asks.
“I wanted to talk to you about getting back to the silver city”
“I've told you, there is no rush. I still can't get the bloody flaming sword to work, it'll be a while. Enjoy earth while you can,” he rolls his eyes, pouring his drink.
“I've told you, I'm running out of time. We need to go now!” He can see the Goddess getting increasingly agitated.
“Why mother?! We have nothing but time,” he explains walking over to her. “Quite frankly I'd like to have a nice evening so if you would?” He gestures to the elevator.
“You're kicking your own mother out?” He can almost see the steam coming out from her ears but he's too exhausted to care.
“Yep,” he says popping the p.
“How dare you!” She rages “You can't kick me out son!”
“Um, yes I can, and I will” He's getting frustrated now. Evening officially ruined. “The door, well elevator, is right there.” He nods to the lift.
“No! I want you to take me home!” She shouts.
“No mother!” He shouts back.
Then he feels a slap on his cheek. She just hit him. She slapped him. How dare she!
“Right then,” he says, collecting his jacket and getting into the lift.
“Wait! I didn't mean to” she pleads. “I'm sorry Lucifer!!” He ignores her.
Chloe is just about to go to bed when she hears the doorbell. She rolls her eyes checking the time. 11:30pm. Great.
She goes down the stairs, pyjamas and dressing gown on. She opens the door and, surprise, Lucifer is standing there, looking rather sorry for himself.
“Hi Lucifer, are you alright?” She asks him. He just stands there.
“I don't know why I'm here” he whispers after a minute.
“Ok, well come in” she stands to the side and he steps in. He comes in and stands awkwardly by the door. “Do you want to talk about anything?” She says after shutting the door.
He shakes his head. “I'm sorry for disturbing you, I didn't know where else to go.” He shrugs.
“It's ok Lucifer, you know you're welcome anytime. Except maybe breaking in while I'm in the shower and making breakfast” she tries to crack a joke. To her pleasure it gets a chuckle out of him.
“Very funny detective” he says amused.
They stand awkwardly for a minute before she asks, “come sit?” She gestures to the couch.
He nods and they go and sit. “I'm sorry” he says again.
“You have nothing to apologise for Lucifer” She smiles and pats his knee.
“Thank you,” he says. She smiles back. He keeps glancing at Trixie's door, she wonders what's going on in his head.
“She's asleep,” she whispers. He nods his head wistfully.
“Can I ask you something detective?” He looks over at her with emotions swirling in his eyes.
“Always Lucifer,” she says sincerely. She means it, she always wants to talk to him.
“Have you ever gotten mad at her for not doing something for you, like a favour?” He bites his lip and she's trying to pick his sentence apart.
“Well, I've gotten frustrated when she hasn't done what I asked, but never angry. Why?”
He ignores her question and continues his questions, “Have you ever gotten physical with her?” He avoids eye contact.
She knows he doesn't mean offence. He's clearly projecting and trying to figure out why his parents are how they are. It just makes her feel so sad for him.
“No, I've never gotten physical with her. I never would Lucifer, you know me,” she speaks softly. He hums. “Hey,” she gets his attention. “What's going on? You can always talk to me.”
He sighs, “I know” he bites his lip and leans elbows on his knees, head in his hands. He grips his hair. “I don’t know why I feel like this, I’ve endured worse” he sighs “It was just a fight yet I feel so fucking human,” He mumbles the last bit and sniffles. He’s not crying, she knows he’s trying to keep it all in.
She rubs his back “You know, it’s ok to feel like this, human. Do you want to tell me what happened? I’m assuming it’s with one of your parents,” she smiles.
He sits up and rubs his face. “Yeah, my mother is in town, she has been for a few months and it has been difficult having her here but at the end of the day she’s my mother. You know?”
She nods her head and keeps rubbing his back. “So what happened today?” She says calmly.
He takes a deep breath, “She wants me to take her and Amenadiel home. I’m the only way they can get there, but she wants me to go with them. I don’t want to go but if I tell her that then she’ll be furious and I don’t want that.” He chuckles but it’s not humorous. “Tonight she was practically begging us to go, I didn’t want to and I told her that she can wait and she got mad and slapped me.” He shrugs “I don’t know why I’m so bothered by it, it’s only a bloody slap to the gob I’ve had way worse” He smiles at her sadly.
She knows she has tears in her eyes, not parents should ever treat their kid in that way. She doesn’t know what to say so she just hugs him, he’s hesitant at first but then warms up and hugs her back. She plays with his hair while they sit there. She feels a wet patch on her shoulder where his head is but doesn’t comment on it, she wants him to be comfortable.
With one last sniff he sits up. “Sorry about that detective” He wipes his face sheepishly.
“Don’t apologise, you have nothing to be sorry for” She smiles at him.
He just nods and stares into space. They sit there for a couple minutes, it’s nice and domestic. She wishes he felt the same way about her, she knows he doesn’t because he went and married a stripper, although that’s all in the past now.
Lucifer pats his leg “It’s getting late I should get going Detective,” and he makes his way to get up.
She deflates, she doesn’t want him to leave. For her own selfish reasons but mainly the fact she knows he doesn’t want to leave and go see his mother. “You sure? You can stay longer, we could watch a movie?”
“That’s very kind but I don’t want to disturb you anymore than i already have.” He’s halfway to the door now.
“Wait! Please stay? I don’t want you to run into your mother again and quite frankly, I could use the company” She blushes and smiles at him, she knows he won’t say no.
“If you insist Detective” He chuckles and takes his shoes and jacket off. That translates to ‘I’d love to stay detective, thank you’, she’s fluent in Luciferian by now.
She beams at him and sits on the couch, queuing up netflix. He comes and sits next to her. She puts on a romcom despite Lucifer's suggestion for a certain movie with a hot tub.
They sit in silence, well she’s silent, Lucifer is adding in his own commentary. She tucks her feet underneath her, she leans her head on his shoulder to see what he would do, she is chilly and he’s warm. He shifts, but keeps her head on his shoulder and relaxes, she smiles and watches the movie.
She starts falling asleep by the end and he has his arm around her shoulders. “You awake?” She whispers.
“Yes, I thought you were asleep” They both laugh.
“You can take the bed if you want and I’ll take the couch?” She offers.
“Nonsense, I’ll take the couch you sleep in your own bed, I’m the one intruding”
“You aren't intruding but okay,” She whispers. “Do you want me to grab you something to sleep in?”
“Yes please detective”
She smiles and walks up stairs to get some clothes for him. She wanted to ask him to share the bed but he had made it clear they were only friends. She needed to move on for both their sakes.
She reaches her bedroom and shuffles through her draw for something Lucifer could wear, surely she has something old of Dan's. She opens her bottom and final drawer to have a look and finds some flannel sleep pants that were Dan's.
She goes down the stairs to see him uncomfortably reclined on the couch. He's way too long for it. She takes a deep breath, maybe she could ask him. What's the harm in asking? He'll say no then she'll insist and it'll be awkward. No, offer to take the couch.
“Hey, so I found some sleep pants for you. Hopefully they are big enough. You sure you don't want to bed? I would offer Maze's room-” she can't even finish her sentence.
“But she'd kill me detective, I know” he laughs “I'm alright, I've slept in worse places I'm sure.”
She's not convinced “Come on, take the bed you're uncomfortable,”
He looks hesitant “But then you'll have to sleep on this” He screws up his face.
"Well, the bed’s big enough for two I'm sure” She bites her lip nervously, she did it, she asked. He looks hesitant then looks like he's going to make a pun, she talks before he can. “We're both adults, we can share a bed. No innuendos.”
It's his turn to bite his lip “Ok, but if I make you uncomfortable you have to promise to tell me” He holds out his pinky and she raises her eyebrow. “The child taught me, now pinky promise”
She laughs, “Ok, I promise” she wraps her pinky around his. “Now come upstairs”
She leads him upstairs to her bedroom, luckily she had tidied yesterday so it's not a mess. She turns to see him looking around nervously.
“You can get changed in here while I get ready in the bathroom if you'd like?”
“Oh yeah, I'll do that. Thank you detective.”
She nods and heads into her bathroom. Lucifer Morningstar is going to spend the night in her bed. Lucifer Morningstar is going to spend the night in her bed! How did that happen? Why did it happen? She knows why, because she can't keep her mouth shut.
It's not like she doesn't want him in there, it's that she's so nervous about it. She likes him. Really likes him and she doesn't want to screw up their friendship.
She shakes her head and starts getting ready, she gets changed, does her teeth, faces her face, and goes to the toilet. She leaves a spare toothbrush out for Lucifer. Once she's all done she goes back into her bedroom. Lucifer is standing there in the pyjama pants that are a little too short, his suit hanging on the back of a chair and he's texting on his phone. He's got a frown on his face.
“Everything okay?” She asks and he snaps his head up.
“Yeah, just my mother asking when I'll be home,” he shrugs, sends a message and puts his phone down.
“Okay, you can talk to me you know,” as she sits on her side of the bed getting under the covers.
“Yes, I know thank you detective,” he smiles. He hovers awkwardly.
“Oh, I left you a toothbrush in the bathroom if you want to,” She nods her head in that direction.
“Thanks,” He walks into the bathroom.
She gets herself comfortable ready for him to get into her bed. She hears the sink running and the sound of him brushing his teeth. She is nervous now. What is going to happen? Will they just sleep, will they talk, cuddle? No, they won't cuddle. He's made it clear, just friends.
The door opens and he comes out, she pats the bed beside her silently telling him to get in. He picks up on the cue and walks around the bed to get in next to her. He shifts to get comfortable and they lay in silence for a while.
He clears his throat like he wants to say something but never does, so she starts instead. “Do you wanna talk about what's going on with your mom?”
He takes a deep breath, “I don't know, she’s just being a mother really.” He shrugs.
She sighs and rolls on her side facing him, he does the same. “Hitting your child isn't being ‘a mother' Lucifer. Being a mother is loving and supporting your child no matter what. Her behaviour may be normal to you but it's not normal.” She sighs again when he avoids eye contact “I just want you to know that your feelings are valid and do matter” she rubs her hand down his arm.
“Thank you,” His eyes say everything he's too scared to say.
She's going to be brave, she wants to ask him about his marriage and what happened, she seems more open tonight. “I know it's been a tough night but can we talk about everything that's happened” there's more silence so she clarifies “between us”
He takes a deep breath preparing himself “I'm sorry about everything that happened then. Do you want the truth?” He looks sincere.
“Always, Lucifer” She looks him in the eyes.
“Okay, please just let me tell my story before you ask questions.” She nods and he continues. “Candy wasn't a stripper or an exotic dancer. Well, she was but a fake exotic dancer.” Chloe frowns and he continues. “After your poisoning,” he looks pained, “I went to Vegas because I was simply overwhelmed by everything I was feeling. I've never felt the way I do about you so, I was scared” He shrugs.
She notices he speaks in the present tense about his feelings towards her. Hope sparks in her chest.
“I met Candy in Vegas. She was in trouble because her dad owed some guy loads of money and she was in debt to him since her dad died. We spoke and went to her place. We ate ice-cream, watched movies and shared our feelings.” He frowns “I needed someone to find out what my mother was up to and why she was here, she needed someone to pay off her debt. So I suggested we get married. She thought it was ridiculous but I persuaded her and yeah. That's the simple version of it” He shrugs. “You have to know how sorry I am about hurting you detective.”
Chloe’s in shock at what he heard. It was a deal? Why didn't he tell her? Why, why why? She finds her voice and clears her throat. “So getting me off your back was just an added bonus?” She could hear the hurt in her own voice.
He sighs “Well, I wasn't going to come back. I needed to get away, not from you before you ask. Just from all the feelings. I've never felt this way before so I think it's really hard for me to understand it. Plus there's a fact that my dad might have put you in my path but that's a story for another day. But I didn't come back, because I couldn't bear to be away from you. But I didn't know how to tell you that I couldn't be in a relationship. I'm sorry detective.”
Her heart broke for him, she knew he didn't do relationships but is this saying he's never liked someone romantically? She wants to ask him if he still feels that way, if he's ready. By the way he was talking it suggests he's ready, if he is then so is she. “I'm going to push all that aside for a second and ask one more question”
“Ask away, detective” he smiles.
“Do you still feel that way about me?” She whispers.
“Always” he whispers back without hesitation.
“Are you ready now?” Her hands started to shake
He moved his body closer so their faces were inches away. “Yes, therapy seems to help,” he chuckles.
They put their foreheads together and link hands. Chloe closes her eyes and just smiles.
“Detective?” She hums “Do you want to go out with me sometime?” She opens her eyes and he nervously bites his lip.
She repeats his answer from earlier. “Always”
They both smile and lean into each other. “Can I kiss you?” He whispers and she nods enthusiastically.
He leans in and their lips connect. They both sigh into the kiss. Lucifer brings one hand up to stroke her cheek. He forces his tongue in her mouth and she accepts it, tangling it with hers.
He runs his hand through her hair and eventually they have to break for air. They just sit and smile at each other before they start kissing again. This time the kisses heat up and Lucifer has one hand in her hair, one hand in her waist and rolls her onto her back so he's on top.
He starts to kiss a path down her neck and she shakes her head, knowing where this is going. “Not tonight” she smiles. He nods and smiles back. Then suddenly collapses on her and snuggles into her neck. He smiles against her neck and she laughs. “You're crushing me” she says while laughing and he clambers off her.
They lay together again, both on their backs holding hands. She can feel herself falling asleep. “Goodnight Detective”
She rolls over and snuggles into him, she kisses above his heart. “Night Lucifer.”
Chloe wakes up and looks around. Her alarm hasn't gone off yet, she rubs her eyes and looks at the digital clock. 3:00 am. Seriously? She looks to her side at Lucifer, lying on his front, facing away from her. She smiles and tries to get some more sleep. She hears a whimper and opens her eyes. She shrugs it off as the wind before it happens again, this time Lucifer is shifting about
“Lucifer?” She whispers.
Another whimper in response and more shifting and twitching. She sits up wide awake. Is he ok? What's going on? He burrows his face in the pillow. She just about hears him say “No, please”
Oh, he's having a nightmare. She whispers his name again, “Lucifer,” The whimpers are turning into cries. She needs to wake him up. She runs her hand down his back, it's covered in sweat. “Lucifer, it's just a dream, wake up” She says louder rubbing his back.
His cries turn into sobs. “Lucifer, wake up!” She raises her voice trying to shake him. With one last sob he jerks and wakes up panting. Panicked, he looks around the room. “Lucifer, it's me Chloe. You had a bad dream” His head flips round to her. She can see the tears building up again. “It’s ok, come here” She opens her arms and he crawls into them.
He's crying again, she can feel the wetness on her shirt, she can hear the sniffles he lets out every so often. She loosens her hold and he frantically shakes his head, holding her tighter so she in return holds tighter. She kisses his head and whispers comforting words in his ear.
He sheepishly pulls his head back and gives a watery smile. She grabs his head in her hands and wipes his face dry. She kisses his forehead, then his nose and she gives him a peck on the lips for luck. “Wanna talk about it?” She asks gently, suspecting she knows the answer.
“Not particularly, detective.” He replies. “Sorry about that,” He grimaces at her.
“Don't be silly, it's ok” She runs her hand through his hair and scratches the back of his hair. “Do you want to try to get some more sleep?”
“I probably should” He gives her a weak smile.
She moves to lay down and brings him so she can hold him. She runs her hand through his hair attempting to calm him. He lets out a content hum and snuggles into her neck.
“Get some sleep, I'll be here” She whispers into his now curlier hair.
“Goodnight Detective” He places a kiss to her collarbone as they both drift into sleep.
It won't be easy but they get through it, there'll be ups and downs but after all. They are partners until the end.