Noctivagus
Chapter 4
"Lucifer what on Heaven's name are you holding and who is the lady in green?"
Getting caught had not been in his plans for the day. The Detective had returned from the precinct just five hours after she had left the house that morning. Lucifer, to what he believed was Dad's doing, was now greeting her home in an unconventional position.
Shirtless, in the middle of the living room and with a sledgehammer in his hands.
"Detective you are… early" Lucifer stammered passing the oversized tool to the stumbling, by its weight, woman on his left.
"A role-play scenario Lucifer? Really!? And you! Don't have a house to play out your fantasy?" Chloe fumed making Lucifer feel overly exposed like never before in his undressed state.
As the Detective's width expanded so did her formidable temper. Her previously slender body was now often seen slouched with a hand always seeking a steady surface for her to lean on.
"Mrs Decker I assure you we were not, in any way-" The woman tried to cut in when a booming sound came from upstairs.
Lucifer could swear that his partner jumping out of fright had not been the only reason causing the startled flexing under her tight white top.
With her eyes and lips tightly closed, Chloe tried to sooth the clearly apparent, frantically twisting fetus by tracing her palm over the irregular appearing lumps.
Lucifer had seen her doing this for months not really understanding the offered benefit the action had to either mother or -debatable- child. Until... Until small limbs started to press more firmly beneath his partner's skin.
Chloe had never mentioned the experience or encouraged him to reach out and let him share it with her. The older spawn sometimes reluctantly joined her mother on the couch when the little one decided to stretch.
The Detective called it a bonding practice. Lucifer always snorted in reply at the very idea yet a certain degree of carefully concealed fascination remained.
During their lazy afternoons, he openly watched the interactions between his partner and her unborn child. Always scowling unable to truly connect with where the future, their future, was heading. To a dead end.
But hadn't Lucifer already taken that road after he had abandoned her laying on a hospital bed, unwittingly still hopeful for their relationship, almost over a year ago?
"Detective." Lucifer attempted to reassure her by getting closer to her in case she needed assistance to sit on the couch.
It wouldn't have been the first time nor it was what he saw next happening.
Cerulean orbs were unveiled when Chloe's eyes snapped wide open. Pellucid and sparkling by the bright midday light that bathed the living room.
Eyes that matched the same expression she had almost six months ago when Lucifer had greeted her foolishly cerise and raw, smiling over a corpse. Verifying that every 'metaphor' Lucifer had ever said to her was true.
Like where there is smoke, there is incandescent fire. A scorching, deeply scarring fire which as hypnotizing as it is when it burns it always leaves a dreary sight behind. A monstrous sight even.
Why was she looking at him like that now?
A lurching force pumped Lucifer's open palm before it quietly retracted.
Confused he looked down at his hand to find it over the Detective's stomach. How had it got there?
"Ehm, he is cheeky." Lucifer commented voice faltered with his hand inexplicably still in place.
"Unavoidable not to be." She said with a newfound degree of tenderness Lucifer had not heard before.
How his hand had reached for her had been left unnoticed by both of them but the withering chill when he removed it, was not.
"True." Was his frigid reply, whatever moment had been occurred between them now long passed.
The sound of boots clamping down the stairs finally put some much-needed physical distance between them. Emotionally in space and time, they were continents and centuries apart.
Three men in blue overalls made it down the stairs staggering under the weight, of their full with debris, buckets.
"Boss." The older looking one said walking out of the apartment's still open door followed by Chloe's bewildered stare.
Lucifer saluted the men in glowing enthusiasm as he flashed a not so winning smile at the still confused and now standing by the kitchen island Detective.
"Do I need to get her out of here?" Lucifer asked the so far ignored woman who wisely had set down the sledgehammer.
"That was the last of it so we only need to spackle up the rough edges, paint it and then repair the floor transition where the wall used to be Mr Morningstar." The woman said brightly sensibly avoiding Chloe's hard shifting eyes.
"What.Wall?" Chloe demanded yet no one paid any attention to her.
"You had promised to deliver before four." The man reminded her with as much charm as he could deliver without taking things to an exhibitionist level in front of his partner.
"I can do it in two!" She bragged now openly flirting with him.
"Then Mrs Rask we have a deal." Lucifer told her in a pleasant manner.
One that didn't hold any promise of carnal explorations being included in their agreement.
"Lucifer, what wall?" Chloe asked again mildly smug at watching the clouding disappointment set on Mrs Rask's features.
A guilty looking Devil focused on picking a clean shirt and stealing hesitant glances towards her way as he then buttoned it up and tucked it in his pants.
"You said we didn't have enough space and the child was adamant on not sharing her room so she suggested we take down the wall between the apartments." Lucifer explained casually still at a safe distance from her.
"You do not demolish a wall because a child told you so Lucifer!" The nose pinching had Lucifer take a step backwards.
"So we are in agreement to let the baby crawl each night to the apartment next door. Overstretched but better teach him young, I like it!" Came Lucifer's sarcastic reply which would have come out even better if he had not actually considered it at first.
Beatrice was against that plan so the wall had to go.
"Why would we even keep the baby next door? I cannot afford my rent to get doubled, heck I cannot afford to kick you out!"
Lucifer touched his heart in mock hurt which didn't seem to amuse her.
"You haven't paid rent in months Detective do you even check your invoices?"
After Maze had walked out to live with the Detective Lucifer was forced to get more involved with what was called bills. That was until he had passed everything to a well-threatened accountant and kept an eye on every invoice that was paid. Which begged the question why a paycheck to paycheck, funds worried individual had not noticed her account balance. Unless.
"My mother send me some money, To help. I thought-" Her head bowed to hide the wetness Lucifer knew was forming in her previously clear eyes.
Hormones were difficult to tackle lately.
"It's almost time to pick up the spawn so one last question." Lucifer sighed gathering the courage to ask what had been bothering him for weeks now.
"Okay." The Detective sniffed still unwilling to look at him and hopefully, the wall forgotten for the time being.
"The crib, the clothes you wanted, no demanded, you wanted for him. Nobody is stopping you and you told me to ask." He reminded her thankful that their audience had the discretion to allow them some space after Rusk was turned down by Lucifer.
"Now you ask." Chloe laughed shaking her head as she rested her back on the wall.
"Lucifer it's called staying on a budget. Sales start in two weeks, there is time for everything."
He wasn't so sure but opted to stay quiet for once.
"The child." Lucifer reminded her.
"The wall." Chloe retorted nonetheless walking towards the front door.
"Father you are stubborn!" Lucifer chuckled gathering his keys on the way out.
"You signed a lease without me knowing. I'm serious Lucifer I cannot pay for that and you are not allowed or expected to just open your wallet." She told him with a wistfulness that confirmed she wanted the space but the monetary issue still remained.
"I don't. It just happens I know the owner and we have come to an understanding." He winked at her as he opened her car's door.
There was another problem, the Corvette didn't have the space the Detective required. Beatrice was happy to sit on her mother's lap in the past but with the baby, Lucifer didn't know how much he could bend the law in her presence anymore.
"And they are just happy to let us live and renovate the place? Rent-free?" The Detective whistled obviously remembering how he had acquired LUX's lease once upon a time.
"Don't be silly! I meet the owner's demands every month to a reasonable degree of course. Like cake once per week and only after dinner." Lucifer said as he started the engine completely missing Chloe's mouth slacking to the news.
To Be Continued...