Story title song by The Who, chapter song by Paloma Faith. This was going to be one long chapter but it made more sense to divide it into two chapters as there's a change in POV. Expect the second part tomorrow, it's all written it just needs proofreading!

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Chloe was...concerned.

If she mentioned it to Lucifer he would probably call it paranoia but, given his past track record, Chloe was feeling a little more on edge than usual as Lucifer started to act...weird.

He was distracted on cases, not wasting time with his usual antics. The other day a case he usually would have dragged out for at least a few hours he wrapped up in ten minutes, when he pointed to the witness of their murder and had him confessing in seconds with that weird mind voodoo of his.

At first Chloe thought it was to do with his own personal stuff - being kidnapped must have taken a toll. His agitation seemed to be proof. But after a while she noticed that it wasn't that Lucifer was agitated when she saw him, it was because he saw her.

As soon as a case was wrapped up he would be off, yet his absences weren't for the usual reasons - partying at Lux, having orgies, getting drunk, or marrying exotic dancers. Chloe caught him at the precinct more than once, talking to Ella, Pierce, even once to Dan. Yet as soon as he noticed her he would practically evaporate into thin air.

Obviously he was up to something. Something he didn't want her to know about. And his trips to the precinct suggested it was something crime related. But if it was why wouldn't he tell her about it - they were meant to be partners.

The question had Chloe frowning into her morning coffee as she sat at her kitchen counter. She tried to think back to when things had been relatively normal. Which was probably after his kidnapping, as weird as it was to think of that being normal.

He'd promised to tell her the truth - and instead he'd just pulled faces at her. That couldn't have been what was making him weird - if anyone was going to be avoided after that it would be Chloe avoiding him.

God, Lucifer could be so... with a grumble, Chloe set that memory aside and tried to focus on what else happened.

"That was a big sigh, Decker." Maze said, settling in and pulling the breakfast Chloe had made towards her. "Whatever it is, I bet it's nothing that couldn't be solved by a good 'ride in the hay'." She finished, her fingers rising to make quotation marks.

After some stern talks Maze had learned to be more child friendly with her language. Her constant comments on Chloe's sex life, or lack thereof, had gotten less crude since she'd moved in. Although Maze didn't seem ready to give up on getting Chloe laid.

"Morning." Chloe replied, stubbornly ignoring the comment and instead favouring to take another long sip of her coffee.

"You taking Trixie somewhere?" Maze asked, eyeing up Chloe's drab outfit.

"Yeah, I'm taking her to the zoo."

"Hmm." Mazikeen tore into her breakfast while she continued to look at Chloe. After a few minutes she started to fidget under the scrutiny.

"What?"

"You have that look."

"What look?" Chloe asked defensively.

"That look you get when you're on a case. Like you're trying to figure something out."

Catching herself before she said something petulant, Chloe took another drink only to find her cup disappointingly empty.

"Except you're not on a case." Maze continued, tearing off another bite of her food as Chloe swivelled off her stool and headed for the coffee machine.

"So what is it that has Detective Decker all huffy on a Saturday morning. Does it happen to start with 'L' and end in 'ucifer'?" She smirked as Chloe turned back to her, refilled cup in hand.

"What happened to my roommate who didn't care about my day, my life, or my feelings?" Chloe asked dryly.

"Your roommate happens to be getting tired of you huffing and puffing like some sex deprived octogenarian struggling to get up the stairs. If you're hot for Lucifer's chilli, just go over there and drop your nana rags on the floor. He'll think his birthday came early."

Chloe huffed.

"Urgh," Maze groaned far too loudly, "you're doing it again! Just bone already!"

"I am not," Chloe replied indignantly, "hot for Lucifer's chilli - and by the way, what does that even mean?"

"Okay, the fact that you have Trixie is proof enough that I don't need to answer that question and that you're not actually a nun. But come on, Decker. Loosen up!"

Chloe scowled. "I am not huffing because I want to have sex with Lucifer."

"Sure you aren't." Maze said, stuffing the rest of her food into her mouth before hopping up. "Well, if you want any advice on what he likes in bed, you know where I am."

Leaving her plate on the counter Maze passed Chloe to get to her room, winking at her as she went.

At least she wasn't slapping her ass again, Chloe thought wryly as she heard Maze's door shut behind her.

Which brought up the memory of when she actually did try to have sex with Lucifer - the sober time at least - and slapped his ass. God, what had she been thinking. Of all the unstable, immature, egotistical, persistent...

Persistent.

Chloe paused, something finally snapping into place.

Lucifer didn't give up. He nagged and pestered and hinted until he got what he wanted. That was what had changed. Lucifer didn't give up - so why hadn't he brought the 'sinner man' up since their last conversation? He always nagged and pestered and hinted until they were investigating whatever it was Lucifer wanted to pursue - and in the end one of them always nearly died. That was - worryingly - their norm.

He said he would keep looking into the 'sinner man' until he got a lead so she would have to investigate.

But, if that was what he was doing at the precinct, why wasn't he telling her what his leads were - and why would he be talking to everyone else about it but not her?

Chloe rubbed her temple in frustration. Every time she felt like she was making progress with Lucifer something sent her two steps back. And it was usually him.

Their 'relationship', his past, his secrets - every time Chloe felt she was getting closer, to him and the truth, he would knock over the board and make them play again.

And dammit if she wasn't getting tired of it all. Of the lies, of having to pretend that his marriage didn't hurt, that him burping in her face just when she'd started to think he was going to level with her once and for all didn't crush her...her entire partnership with Lucifer was exhausting.

Her phone pinged and her eyes broke from their unfocused stare at the floor.

Honestly, if that was Pierce offering her a new case she had half the mind to go alone and see how Lucifer liked being the one left behind for a...

Glancing at the screen, Chloe quickly grabbed her purse and jacket before darting out of the kitchen into Maze's room.

/ / /

I feel Chloe is overdue an outburst after Lucifer's "marriage" to Candy. I wanted to post this before the next episode aired (and we don't get it until Tuesday in the UK so please no spoilers!). Kind comments are always nice - goodnight!
Oh and the whole "hot for chilli" is a line from Cheers if you found it weird :D