It was morning, and Chloe had woken alone. It had been that way for nearly two weeks now. She would dream of someone holding her, only to end up disappointed when she opened her eyes to find no one there. Lucifer was away. And not just away from home, away from Earth, somewhere she couldn't even call him. She missed him terribly. He was the warmth in her bed, the shield by her side, the light in her day. Her life had become so intrinsically woven with his that it felt like half of her was missing when he wasn't there.
His visits to Hell had coincided with the start of their relationship several months ago, and although he hadn't needed to go often, she couldn't stop herself from worrying about him the entire time he was there. She knew the basics of why he had to go, but not the details. He had requested she not ask, and reluctantly she'd agreed. It was a matter of trust. She trusted that if it was important enough he would tell her, and he trusted that she wouldn't unduly put him in a position where he would be forced to. It was rare that he avoided answering her these days, and if she'd questioned him he would have had to tell her the truth. Even after all this time, he had yet to break his promise that he would never lie to her.
As far as he was concerned, her worries were unfounded. He'd assured her multiple times that he was perfectly safe, that there was nothing down below that could even hope to pose a threat to him. When he returned to Earth however, there would be a darkness in his eyes which would take a few days to fade away. She did what she could to help with that, as did Trixie. Though he would never have admitted it, she knew the time difference took a heavy toll. For her, he was away for a few days, at few weeks at most. But for him, it could be anything from a few hundred years to millennia. She could only liken it to finally escaping from jail after spending most of your life there, only to be forced to go back when it was the last thing you wanted.
Which is why she felt so guilty.
Guilty that he was down there missing her, and she was up here longing for him… yet there was one thing that kept playing on her mind. She had a man that adored her, she knew that. He never failed to be there when she needed him, always protected her, even died for her, she'd been told. Trying to talk to him about that had been one of the few times he'd circumvented her questions, but Maze had been quite explicit in her explanations. Well, as much as one can be when they're yelling at someone to get their head out of their ass. The demon had aided in Chloe's reconciliation with Lucifer after she'd finally seen the truth more than she knew.
So why she was caught up on this one little thing, she didn't know. It was a struggle not to talk about it herself, the words on the tip of her tongue so often when he would look her in that way he did sometimes. The way he looked at nobody else. But still she held off, stubbornly refusing to be the first to admit how she felt. It was pathetic really, a human desire that probably would seem foolish to him. It wouldn't surprise her if he hadn't even considered that she actually needed to hear it. Yet it continued to bother her.
Because he still hadn't said I love you.
"Seriously? Are you kidding me?" said Ella, abandoning whatever it was she'd been looking at through the microscope to stare at her friend instead. "Dude's crazy about you!"
Chloe winced slightly, embarrassed to even be talking about this. Unfortunately Ella had an uncanny ability to tell if something was up with her, and an even more annoying habit of forcing her to spill about it. "I know, I know he is. But..."
"He hasn't said those three magic words yet?" Chloe nodded. Ella switched to her computer, pulling up some information before turning her attention back to the topic at hand. "Does he need to though? We've all seen the way he follows you around with those big puppy dog eyes of his. Seems to me there's nothing he wouldn't do for you if you asked."
Chloe broke then, all of her worries bubbling to the surface. "I shouldn't have to ask though, should I? I said it first with Dan, and it took him months to say it back to me! And Lucifer is so old. He's probably never said it to anyone ever, in all that time, so what if he never does? I don't even know how to bring the... subject… up."
She stopped talking, realising her mistake as Ella looked at her curiously. "C'mon, Chloe, he's not that old. What is he, like, late thirties? I haven't even seen a single grey hair on his head yet!"
And you never will.
Now there was a thought that stung. It was one of the many things about being in a relationship with the Devil that she desperately tried not to think about. So just like she did the last time she started to consider their long term future, she determinedly shoved it into a box at the back of her mind. Another problem for another day.
An elbow in her ribs brought her back to the room, and she found Ella standing beside her. "Does he then?" Chloe looked at her blankly, and Ella repeated herself. "Does he keep hair dye in the penthouse? I mean, it wouldn't surprise me, but…" Ella paused. Chloe wasn't really listening and she knew it. "This is really getting to you, isn't it?"
Gently she felt herself being led to one of the stools in the lab, and Ella indicated that she should sit. Looking down, Chloe watched as her friend took both of her hands into her own. "Look, you have nothing to worry about, okay? The man looks at you like you lit the stars. Which is funny really, considering his name."
Chloe smiled slightly; of course Ella would know the meaning of Lucifer's name. She couldn't imagine what her reaction would be if she knew her partner actually was the one to light the stars. To say that kind of information was hard to get your head around was somewhat of an understatement. Never mind trying to fathom how someone who was literally billions of years old could be, well, him.
She was caught up in her own thoughts again, but apparently Ella was willing to be patient with her. "I know Lucifer has... a reputation. And you're right, maybe he hasn't been in love before. But he threw you a freakin' prom, Chloe. Do you think honestly he has ever done that for anyone else? Prom night wasn't exactly a theme at Lux last time I checked."
Chloe looked at her questioningly; she hadn't been aware Ella knew about that. Her friend shrugged at her. "Margheritas."
Ah. That explained it. Chloe sighed. "He was just doing what he always does though, trying to give me what he thought I needed." And he had, despite what she'd told herself about not feeling like she'd missed out on high school. When she saw what he'd done for her… it was a moment she would never forget. He knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. It was one of the many reasons she'd fallen for him.
"Are you sure that was the only thing he was doing?" Ella asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
Chloe was confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well it was obvious to everyone, well everyone other than you that is, that he was pining for you from the moment he came back from Vegas." Chloe felt herself flinch. She knew why Lucifer did what he did now. However understanding the reasons didn't mean that the memory no longer hurt. Ella continued, tightening her grip a little. "It just doesn't surprise me that he'd want to find an excuse to hold you, is all."
She was stunned. Why had she never thought of it like that?
Dancing with him had been magical. Not only had he listened when she'd mentioned being unable to go to her own prom, but he'd taken it upon himself to do something about it. The music, the way the golden confetti had fallen around them, it had all taken her breath away. The only thing that would have made it more perfect was if he'd kissed her. He'd wanted to, she could tell, the desire he so easily invoked in others plainly visible in his own eyes. And yet he held back. They'd continued dancing well into the evening, and it had meant so very much to her.
But if he had also done it just for the chance to hold her close to him?
Well, then it meant even more.
Later that morning, she returned from the coffee machine to find Dan perched on the end of her desk. "So, he still hasn't worked up the courage to say it then?" he said with a smirk. Chloe immediately directed her gaze towards the lab, spotting a certain guilty looking lab tech at the window. Those big brown eyes widened as she realised she'd been busted, and Ella quickly ducked down out of sight. Seconds later, the blinds in the lab surreptitiously began to close.
Chloe smiled and shook her head. So much for confidence between friends. She turned her attention back to her ex-husband. "We haven't even been together a year yet. It's not like he's the only guy to take his time," she said playfully, poking him in the leg closest to her.
He laughed. "That may be, but I don't seem to remember having been secretly in love with you for years back then." She flushed. He wasn't wrong. She'd started dating Dan not long after she joined the precinct, despite never intending to start a relationship with a colleague. With the amount of time she spent at work though… well, one thing had led to another. It had been her first real relationship outside of a couple of flings with other actors, and she'd fallen hard and fast.
"Listen," he said, idly playing with one of the pens sitting on her desk. "I know I'm probably the last person you'd expect to hear this from, but you've got to give him time. It took the two of you long enough to get together in the first place. You can't rush these things, especially with a guy like him."
Dropping the pen along with the serious tone, he joked, "It's not like you're expecting a wedding any time soon anyway, right?"
Chloe chuckled to herself before she shrugged her shoulders, giving him the best look she could come up with that said "Hmm… maybe!" It took everything she had not to burst out laughing when his face paled. "Jesus, you're kidding right? Please tell me you're joking."
Finally she did laugh. "Really, Dan, does Lucifer strike you as the marrying kind?"
He let out a sigh of relief. "No, but then again I wouldn't have pegged him for falling in love with someone either."
It had come as a surprise how accepting Dan had been of her new relationship. She'd expected at least a little bit of push back, the odd comment about Lucifer's ability to be with someone long term, doubts about his suitability as a kind of step-father to Trixie. But there had been nothing. He and Lucifer had become firm friends, and if anything he'd been pleased that the two of them had finally sorted themselves out.
"At least that means I don't have to face the torture of going shopping with him again," Dan said offhandedly. She raised an eyebrow; this was something she hadn't known about. Shopping wouldn't exactly be Lucifer's idea of torture either. Figuratively or literally. Catching her puzzled expression, he continued. "Remember the policeman's ball, last year? The one he took you to?"
How could she forget. They had been working on a big case on the run up to the event, and she wasn't even sure she would be able to go, never mind have the time to find a date. When the evening arrived though, Lucifer had shown up at her door. "Will you allow me to accompany you, Detective?" he'd asked, and she'd said yes before she even had chance to think about it.
Although the sight of him in what was obviously a brand new suit had made her tempted to just drag him inside and spend the night in her bedroom instead.
The second after she'd accepted though, panic set in. She didn't have a dress, there was no time for her to do her makeup and her hair, even shoes might be an issue. It had been a long time since she'd attended a party, never mind a ball, and normally she would have all these sort of things planned in advance. No sooner had she opened her mouth to explain though than Lucifer motioned behind him, and suddenly her living room was full of people. Naturally, he'd thought of everything. There was a hairdresser, a makeup artist, even a seamstress to make sure the dress he'd brought for her fit perfectly. Within the hour, she was ready, and didn't she just feel like a princess out of a movie.
As he'd escorted her to the car, he'd told her how beautiful she was. "Of course, you're always beautiful to me, Detective. Personally I don't think you need any of this stuff, but I know you humans like to feel prepared for evenings such as these."
She had often thought that night was when she truly admitted to herself just how in love with him she was. When he walked her to her door after ball had finished, she'd kissed him, and he had looked at her with such wonder in his eyes, like he couldn't quite believe it after everything that had happened. But it was real, just like it always had been. That had been where it all started, a new beginning for them both.
"I remember," she said to Dan, smiling inside.
"Well, you might have had a dress custom made for you, but guess who got dragged out suit shopping a few days before? I refuse to be seen anywhere near you in a rental, Daniel," he said mockingly, in an attempt at a British accent that was almost as bad as her own.
She tried to stifle a giggle. That sounded like Lucifer indeed.
"So we get there, and guess what we end up doing? Not trying to find me a suit, that's for sure. No, instead we spend the entire time trying to find him a shirt. A shirt! The only reason he wanted me there was for a second opinion. "You were with her for years, Daniel. Surely you have her eye colour memorised as well as I have." The awful accent was back again, and it was even worse this time. She was actually starting to feel better about her own.
"Six and a half hours, Chloe. I thought it was women who were supposed to take their time when it came to choosing clothes." He hopped off the desk, miming Lucifer trying to pick a shirt as his improv skills came into play. "This one, Daniel? No, that's no good, how about this one instead?"Over and over and over again."
Chloe gave up trying to keep the grin off her face. "Well, he obviously found one eventually," she said, remembering the blue green shirt that had matched her dress perfectly.
"That's the thing, he didn't! I'm pretty sure he had the damn thing custom made as well in the end," Dan said exasperatedly, flopping down into her partner's usual chair on the other side of her desk.
"Tell me you got a suit at least?" It would be unusual if he hadn't; if Lucifer had taken him out with the promise of buying a suit, then a suit they would have bought. She knew him well enough to know the rental comment wasn't completely a joke, and after all, he didn't lie about these things.
She heard Dan grumble under his breath, "He got his tailor to make me one."
"I'm sorry, what was that?" she asked innocently.
Knowing damn well she'd heard, Dan suddenly became very interested in the mountains of work piled on his desk, and excused himself hurriedly.
She laughed quietly, then allowed herself a moment of reverie before continuing on with her own work, thinking back to that wonderful night and that perfect dress. If it hadn't be so obviously made just for her she would have insisted he return it, the material alone costing far more than her pay packet could have afforded.
Considering the purchaser, one might have expected something salacious, but it was exactly kind of the style she would have chosen for herself. And of course, much like his shirt, it was a perfect match for the colour of her eyes.
Her favourite colour.
It was one of those rare days with no case and her paperwork completed by lunchtime, meaning she could abandon the precinct early to relieve the babysitter. A unexpected afternoon with her little monkey; something she was very much looking forward to.
She hadn't been home long when there was a knock at the door, and Chloe was halfway to the living room when she heard Trixie open it. Apparently she needed to have to have yet another conversation with her daughter about doing that. Considering her job, there was always the risk that it wouldn't be someone friendly at the door. After what had happened with Malcolm, the thought of it terrified her.
At least the knock meant she knew it wouldn't be Lucifer standing there. He'd made more of an effort not to just barge into the apartment on the lead up to their relationship, but now they were together he treated her home as if it was as open to him as his penthouse had always been to her. There was no need to correct him. He spent so much time here these days that she considered it his home too. And she had a sneaking suspicion, so did he.
"Mommy, your cloudy flowers are here!" shouted Trixie, her face split into a wide grin. Chloe narrowed her eyebrows, not quite sure what she meant. Opening the door a little wider, she was met by a huge bouquet of beautiful yellow roses. She barely noticed the delivery man behind them, unable to focus her attention on anything else. Surely Lucifer couldn't have sent these? She was pretty sure there wasn't a flower delivery service in Hell, nor flowers for that matter.
"Ms. Decker, I presume?" the man asked as he presented her with the flowers. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Morningstar is one of our best customers."
That surprised her. Lucifer hadn't sent flowers to the station in a while, having quickly learned that after an argument they did not count as an apology. It was true she came home to find flowers in the apartment on occasion, but she wouldn't have thought that happened often enough for him to be considered a regular customer. It always made her heart a little lighter when she arrived back at the apartment after a rough day to find a myriad of coloured petals waiting for her. He always chose the brightest ones, and she often wondered if it was their contrast to Hell that enthralled him.
Trixie chattered away to the man as Chloe searched for a vase, and it was the sight of the two of them conversing that reminded her she had yet to talk to her daughter about ignoring the rules when it came to greeting guests. "What did we say about opening the door to strangers, Trixie?" she scolded lightly, before mouthing sorry to the man in question, who gave her an amused grin in return.
"But Moooooom," her daughter replied, those big brown eyes looking woefully into hers, a trick that no longer worked so well now that her baby wasn't quite so much of a baby anymore. "Larry isn't a stranger! He always brings flowers for Lucifer! Plus he likes me... and chocolate... and dogs. He drives a big green van and sometimes he looks after me when Lucifer-" Trixie stopped mid-sentence as Chloe gave her a sharp look, before she continued on very unconvincingly. "...Goes to the bathroom?"
Slowly her daughter began to back away from her, babbling faster and faster as she made her escape. "Larry's very nice, and he's from Connecticut, and he used to be a plumber, and aren't your flowers so pretty Mommy, I'll go and get some more water for them!" Then she turned tail and promptly ran in the direction of the bathroom.
"Really, it's no problem, Ms. Decker, " said "Larry" who was now stood in the doorway rather awkwardly. "Mr. Morningstar is rather particular, and if he's unhappy with any part of the order he'll often go over to the store to select alternatives. It rarely happens, but when it does he's never gone long. In fact, I have no idea how he makes it there and back so fast actually, Besides, your daughter is a delight, and as I said, we appreciate Mr. Morningstar's continued custom."
"What makes him such a good customer?" she said curiously. "If you don't mind me asking?"
He looked confused for a moment, as if he expected her to already know. "Well, he has a standing order, for as long as we're in business. Whenever the sun can't be seen, we're to bring you flowers, the most vibrant we have. We make his deliveries a priority and he always rewards us handsomely for it."
Oh. That wonderful man. She missed him more in that moment than she thought she ever had. It felt like almost every day he found a new way to show her just how much he cared.
She gave her thanks to Larry, but just as he was about to leave, he turned back. "I forgot to mention, there's a card. Mr Morningstar informed us he would be away on business for a while and left a message just in case we needed to deliver."
Once he'd gone, she leaned against the door, unwilling to take her eyes away from the stunning flowers that now sat on the counter, a spot of sunshine on an otherwise rainy day. "Cloudy flowers," her daughter had called them, clearly having noticed the pattern within which they appeared.
Trixie chose that moment to appear cautiously from around the corner. "Lucifer must love you very much, Mommy."
"What makes you say that, Monkey?"
Her daughter shrugged. "Daddy never used to buy you flowers just because the sky was grey."
It was true, he hadn't. Dan had never been much of one for gifts of the floral variety. Not that it had ever bothered her… but she had to admit the sight of those roses made her feel cherished. Lucifer made her feel cherished, in a way she'd never felt before, and she loved him for it. Not that she'd told him that yet of course.
"Do you want to read the card with me?" she asked Trixie, who started bounding over before she'd even finished the question. Hopefully there was nothing too inappropriate on there for young eyes to see.
Detective. May these flowers bring as much sunlight to your day, as you have brought into my life. Your Morningstar.
Later that afternoon, she heard the apartment door open and her heart skipped a beat. Jumping up from the sofa, she turned quickly towards the entrance, excited to greet the person she hoped would be walking in, but instead there was only Maze.
Disappointment washed over her. The bounty hunter no longer lived there, but that hadn't stopped her coming and going as she pleased. No amount of locked doors would keep her from spending time with Trixie if she wanted to. Chloe just wished she would knock; it was the third time this week she'd gotten her hopes up.
Just as she was about to inform her that Trixie was in her bedroom, to her surprise Maze made a beeline for her instead. "Here," she said, thrusting a crumpled envelope at her. "He told me to give you this." Taking it from her, Chloe smiled at the sight of her name, tracing her finger over the elegantly written cursive. Her ex-roommate made a sound of disgust, before heading into the kitchen to relieve Lucifer of whatever his latest expensive bottle of whisky was. He had yet to find a hiding place that Maze couldn't discover within minutes, despite his best efforts. "Tell your boyfriend to deliver his own love letters next time, yeah?"
There was that word again, love. It seemed to be following her everywhere today. Lost in her own thoughts, she watched as the demon emerged triumphantly from behind the counter, slipping her prize into the bag she'd brought with her. Chloe called out her thanks, but the only response she got was the grumbled sound of Maze talking to herself as she stalked past her towards Trixie's room.
"In love with a human… ridiculous…"
A warm glow filled her from inside. Even Maze thought he loved her. Maze! Unable to wait a second more, she tore open the envelope. Perhaps she should have been more careful with what was no doubt very expensive stationery, but she couldn't bring herself to feel guilty about it knowing there was a message from him inside.
My darling. Know that you are constantly on my mind whilst I remain in this dreadful place. The torture these souls think they endure is nothing compared to the agony of being kept from your arms. There is nothing more I desire than to return home to you soon. Forever yours, Lucifer.
She couldn't help but smile. It had been a few months since he let it slip that he'd been taking "romance" lessons from Linda, and it appeared they were paying off. Personally she thought he'd been plenty romantic before, but he had made it clear he intended to be nothing less than the perfect partner to her. Which she couldn't exactly bring herself to complain about. It was definitely a change from the letter he'd left for her the first time, which had been less of a letter and more of a list of the things he wanted to do to her when he got back. Which she hadn't complained about either, if she was honest.
That warm glow sank a little lower and she collapsed back onto the sofa with a sigh.
He couldn't get home fast enough.
Earlier, an impromptu girl's night seemed like a good idea. It was Trixie's night with Dan, and she could use the distraction. What she hadn't expected though, was that they would spend the entire night talking about Lucifer. Or in her case, trying to avoid talking about Lucifer. Maze was the only one absent, and Chloe placed the blame solely on her for leaving the floor open to questions. For a while now, all references to her former master had been strictly forbidden when the tribe got together. Apparently, she didn't need to hear about the Lord of Hell being "lovey-dovey" when it was bad enough having to see it.
"C'mon… what's it like?" said Ella, waggling her eyebrows. Two cocktails in, and the forensic scientist was interested in only one thing.
Linda, having overheard their conversation, leaned back towards them from where she'd been busy flirting with the bartender. "Amaaaaaazing," she drawled, before turning her attention away again. The therapist had arrived before either of them, and had managed to score herself free drinks for the evening. Which she had been enjoying. A lot apparently. Chloe raised her eyes to the ceiling and sighed. This was going to be fun…
Ella's mouth dropped open. "Did she…"
"Yep."
"But she's his…"
"I know."
"Is that…?"
"Nope."
"Did you…?"
"Yes."
"And you're…?"
"Okay with it? Yes, yes I am."
She had to be. If Chloe started thinking about how many women, nay, people, she knew Lucifer had slept with she would never be able to look anyone at the station in the eye again. It didn't bother her as such, for he was who he was and she understood that. She wasn't jealous, she wasn't hurt, she just really didn't need to know how many of her colleagues had seen her partner naked.
"As for what it's like? It's great. Really great." There was an air of finality in her voice that made it clear she didn't want to talk about this anymore. Ella looked abashed for a moment before deciding to concentrate very hard on devouring her next cocktail. Chloe chose to do the same, signalling to the bartender to bring over another round. Now that her entertainment for the evening was busy again, Linda joined them once more.
"He's nice," she said dreamily, slurring slightly. "All the men here are nice!" Chloe and Ella both ducked at the same time, narrowly missing Linda's arm as she flung it out in front of it her, demonstrating just how many nice men she thought there were in the room.
Ella grabbed her forearm, steadying her. "Whatever you say, Doc."
"But it's true! It is!" Linda looked at them both with blurry eyes, then pointed to the stage. "See? He's nice."
Chloe followed the direction of her finger over to the man singing karaoke, crooning a love song to the woman in front of him. Both were so caught up in each other that she would have bet the rest of the bar didn't exist for them right right now. Ella was immediately delighted. "Awww! He's serenading her!" she said excitedly, clapping her hands as she beamed. Caught up in her enthusiasm, Chloe smiled too.
"Didn't Lucifer do that for you once?" came the mumbled query from the bar, where Linda was now resting her head.
"Do what for me, sing?" Chloe queried. "I've heard him sing plenty of times."
Linda turned her head to the side, trying for her patented I don't think you're understanding me therapy expression but only managing to achieve slightly grumpy. "That's not what I meant."
"Ooo! I know!" said Ella."During the case, remember? The one after-" she promptly stopped herself. "The one with the Heavy Woolies! In the club! Eternal Flame, wasn't it?"
Chloe nodded, but before she could reply she was interrupted. "HAH!" said Linda as pushed herself up from the bar shakily. "Well isn't that fitting?"
After exchanging confused looks with Ella, she watched as the scientist secured an arm around their less-than-sober friend, helping her up. Linda, however, took the opportunity to lean closer, whispering something in her ear. Ella's expression changed to one of dawning realisation.
"You're right," she said conspiratorially. Then her eyes lit up. "I have an idea!" she exclaimed, before it was her turn to whisper in Linda's ear. The therapist grinned, then held on to Ella tightly for support as she climbed down from the bar stool.
"We're… er… just going to use the bathroom!" Ella explained.
They stumbled off in a direction that was definitely not the way to the bathroom, and Chloe shook her head in amusement as she wondered what exactly they were up to. Nursing her drink, she thought back to Ella's original question. For the answer she'd given had been a lie.
Things with Lucifer weren't just great. They were mind-blowingly, toe-curlingly, out of this world amazing. Which made sense really, considering he wasn't even of this world. Despite having interviewed so many of his lovers, now that she knew what he was, she'd found herself wondering if his "abilities" had anything to do with their praise. The same abilities that didn't work on her. As it turns out, that wasn't the case. It was all him.
And thousands of years of experience.
His past didn't matter though, because now his skills were for her and her alone. Her body ached for him when he was gone. And when he returned, it would ache in a different way. A Lucifer who was previously well known for having a different partner in his bed every night was nothing compared to a Lucifer who hadn't had a partner for a millennia or two. Working with him during those first few weeks after a trip was like a wonderful nightmare. Staying professional around him was impossible, those perfectly tailored suits designed to catch the eye, that long, lean body constantly in her field of vision. It had been bad enough before, but now she knew what exactly that body could do...
Nothing ever happened in the precinct, she made sure of that. It didn't stop him giving her that look though, a look which would see her rushing to finish whatever she was working on so they could get to the penthouse as quickly as possible. Or sometimes, just the car. They were constantly late to work, and even later getting to crime scenes. Ella had on more than one occasion taken great delight in pointing out the grass stains on the back of her jacket, while Lucifer just stood next to her proudly. Whenever a lead didn't pan out, or a stakeout came up empty, he would insist they make sure their time wasn't completely wasted. No matter where they were, all he had to do was touch her and-
The sound of a familiar tune blasting through the bar snapped her out of it. So much for distracting herself from thoughts of Lucifer for the evening. Quickly she finished the rest of her drink, grimacing at the sound of the most awful imitation of the Bangles she'd ever heard. Perhaps it was time to get out of here. It was then, finally, that she recognised one of the voices. Oh no. Slowly she turned towards the stage, groaning internally. As she'd suspected, there was Ella and Linda, belting out the same song Lucifer had sung to her so long ago. Linda was currently hanging on to the mic stand for dear life, and Ella, well, she was excitedly pointing at the television above their heads, currently displaying the lyrics for all the other karaoke enthusiasts to see.
They'd just reached the part about sun shining through the rain when the next part of the song flashed up on the screen, and Chloe felt her heart stop.
A whole life, so lonely. Then you come and ease the pain..."
He'd dedicated that song to her. Those words, they were meant for her. At the time, she'd thought it was a "sweet nineties jam" he'd picked out at random, but she'd failed to notice the lyrics. Just like she'd failed to notice so much about him.
It hit her then. She no longer cared about those three little words. All the things he did for her, they were his way of telling her. He never took her love for granted, always finding ways to remind her how much he cared about her. She might never have heard him say it, but he'd made her believe it nonetheless. He loved her.
The next thing she knew, Linda was sliding back onto the stool beside her. She hadn't even realised the song was over. Looking around for Ella, she spotted her chatting to a couple of guys at the back of the room. Perhaps their rendition had managed to impress somebody after all. She felt a hand pat her on the leg as Linda leaned against her.
"You're lucky you know," she said sleepily.
"Oh? How so?"
Linda tipped her head backwards, looking at Chloe questioningly. "He's explained to you, yes? How time works in Hell?"
Chloe nodded and Linda relaxed back against her. "Most of us," she sighed, gesturing at the bartender she'd been talking to earlier, now busy flirting with another group of ladies. "We get a man to love us for what? Ten, twenty, thirty years, maybe?"
"But you," she said, patting her leg again, "You have a man who has loved you for millennia." Linda yawned, then smiled. "His heart will be yours forever. Now isn't that just wonderful?"
She'd never thought about it like that. Thousands of years apart and yet he still kept coming back for her. And she never doubted that he wouldn't.
An eternal flame indeed.
Her plan had been to crawl under the covers as soon as she got home, but somehow she'd ended up on the sofa instead. Tonight, the bed just didn't seem right without him in it. She stared into the fire, watching the flames dance as she recalled their first official date together. He'd let her choose, and her choice had been something a simple. A picnic. Nothing he could go over the top with, in theory. She had no doubt the basket would still be filled to the brim with gourmet food, the cost of which would probably exceed her entire grocery budget for an entire month.
But on the day, it rained. Lucifer had sadly joked that perhaps his Father was meteorologically inclined after all. Then, she got called into work. He wasn't needed, so he opted to stay behind, telling her to call him afterwards if she wanted company.
She already knew that she would, and she told him as much. His face had brightened at her promise, and she left for the station feeling a little less guilty that their day had been ruined. When she called though, he didn't answer. She called Lux, but he wasn't there either.
Her first instinct had been to panic. She'd been here before after all. But things were different now. She knew the truth, and he'd told her everything. There were no secrets between them anymore. She trusted him, trusted that he wouldn't leave her, trusted that he couldn't leave her even if he tried. He needed her just as much as she needed him. So she remained calm, driving home with the intention of calling him again when she got there.
But there was no need. As soon as she reached the apartment she could see an amber light coming from within. Opening the door, she knew who to expect inside before she even saw him there. In front of the fire, there was a soft blanket lying in wait, with a small selection of food sat in a basket to the side. And in the middle of it all, was Lucifer.
A date with no drama, no fuss, exactly what she asked for. He sat there waiting, his suit jacket discarded nearby and a hopeful look on his face. Throwing her own jacket to the side, she'd joined him on the floor before kissing him. "Thank you," she whispered, and the warm glow in his eyes had matched that of the fire.
They'd spent hours talking that night, and when the food ran out and the flames began to die, he carried her upstairs. He didn't push, he didn't even ask, but she'd given herself willingly. She felt like she'd been waiting for this forever. He told her he actually had, even if he'd never known it. Whether they were in control of their destinies neither of them knew for sure, but what did it matter as long as they were together?
All these months later, he still felt the same way, as did she. Just like that night, the fire in front of her started to burn out, and she curled up under that same blanket, intent on spending the night here with her memories.
Which is when she heard the door open.
Her lips were pressed to his before he could even say hello. He held her tightly, inhaling her scent, reminding himself that he was home. She put her arms around his neck and he lifted her easily, a happy sound escaping him as he pulled her even closer, wrapping her around him. Their eyes met, and the darkness in his became desire. He kissed her, and walked them to the bedroom.
Hours later, she lay curled against him, listening to the comforting sound of his heartbeat as he ran his fingers through her hair. Softly he touched the top of her head with his lips. "Hello darling," he said quietly. Slowly she shimmied up his body until she could kiss him again.
"How long?" she asked gently. He stiffened.
"Too long," he replied. His eyes were old, and they'd grown empty without her. "I missed you."
He returned her kiss, and she lost herself in him for a while. When he drew back, there was the slightest hint of light there, a spark that she wanted to turn into a flame.
"I love you," she said, her lips brushing his as she spoke.
Three simple words.
Words he'd never expected to hear. Not from anyone, ever.
She knew her lover, her partner, her friend. She'd seen his face a thousand times, in a thousand different ways. But she'd never seen him look at her in this way, as though he felt too many emotions at once, too many to describe, too many to show.
Eventually, he settled on awe. "Chloe," he breathed, saying her name as reverently as he always had. "I…"
She pulled his head down to hers, silencing him with a kiss.
"It's okay," she said.
"I already know."