Lucifer was sitting in Ella's lab, spinning around in one of the desk chairs. Chloe was currently at her desk doing paperwork, something the devil liked to avoid as much as possible.
Since returning from Hell, Lucifer has tried to leave the Detective's side as little as possible. So when there wasn't a case to occupy his time, he'd go and listen to the bubbly lab tech prattle on about her latest interests.
Ella was putting the finishing touches on a blood splatter analysis when she turned to her friend.
"So...I heard from a certain appletini drinking grapevine that you play video games".
Lucifer stopped his spinning and looked at her. "Yes...well, I'd originally gotten the console to annoy Eve into breaking up with me, but recently I've found I rather enjoy playing it".
"Great! Because I gotta a new game that I want you to try with me".
"I don't know, Miss López, the detective might need me...".
"It's got devil references..." Ella singsonged
"Well then, count me in!"
*
The following weekend, Ella stepped into the penthouse with the game in tow. Lucifer had already gotten everything setup, including a table full of snacks and soft drinks.
"Ah! Miss López, just in time!" Lucifer said as he stepped out of his bedroom, " I trust the arrangements are to your liking?".
"Dude, everything looks amazing," she took a look at what he was wearing, "also...are those sweatpants?! I didn't even know you owned something other than suits".
"Well you can hardly expect me to engage in grease-laden snackery whilst wearing Armani, can you?".
"I guess not," Ella snickered.
She popped in the disc, and the home screen for Horizon Zero Dawn came on.
"Oh!" Lucifer said as he looked at the game, "is this like the game where that burly fellow fights all the fake deities?".
"You mean God of War?" Ella chuckled at his description, "It's kind of like that, but with more robots".
"Bloody Hell...robots?! What do robots have to do with what clearly looks like Viking Era characters?!".
"Just watch, Luce" Ella told him.
"Very well, if you insist Miss López". Lucifer grabbed one of the snacks from the table and settled in.
*
"So this Aloy girl, got outcast at birth for being different, then when she's the only one capable of doing the dirty work, they want to accept her?".
"That's a pretty good grasp of the initial plot, yeah" Ella said.
They were halfway through the game, and Lucifer was really engrossed in the storyline.
He snorted at the central deity being called the all-mother. "If there's one being who had no interest in creating life, it was my mother, Miss López ".
The introduction of the HADES program really sent him onto a tangent.
"I don't know what the bloody Greeks were thinking, calling me that," Lucifer muttered," There's not one central underworld, and all of my hellhounds only have one head...thank you very much ".
It was close to three in the morning by the time they finished the whole thing. Ella stood up and stretched, then went over to get the disc out and put it away.
"So what did you think of Horizon Zero Dawn, Lucifer?" Ella asked a suspiciously quiet devil.
"It...was...interesting," Lucifer mused. He looked up at Ella with uncertainty in his eyes.
"Do you think that I'm built to destroy like that computer me in the game?".
"What? Luce no," Ella Sat back down next to him, "Why would you think that?".
"For millenia, the devil has always been seen as the source of wrong in the world, and there does seem to be an awful lot of misfortune that occurs in my proximity".
Ella felt her heart break. How could her friend think so little of himself?
"Oh buddy, bring it in," Ella grabbed him in a tight hug. "Listen, no one with a light as bright as yours could ever be wrong. You are not responsible for the actions of others, and you bring way more good to the world than bad. You're one of my best friends, Lucifer, and my life is definitely better for having you in it".
Lucifer gave a small smile and gingerly returned Ella's hug. "Thank you...Ella".
"Anytime bud," Ella yawned as she pulled away, "mind if I crash in your guest room?".
"By all means, make yourself at home ".
"Thanks Luce," she said as she headed towards his guest room," see you in the morning".
"Goodnight, Miss López".
After Ella went to bed, Lucifer cleaned up the mess and turned everything off in the penthouse. He got into his own bed, feeling lighter than he had in months.