Chapter 36: Punch Drunk

If it had just been explained to Natalie that all it took to finally make Maze sit down and talk was a complete breakdown into hysterical and inappropriate laughter, she would have gave up her valiant efforts to keep her chill much sooner. In fact, she had a mild concern she might be going mad. The proper kind, with jackets, heavy medication, and too many people in small buildings. Stray chuckles kept slipping past the beer that she was sharing with her demented boss/friend-with-murder-tendencies. Maze seemed perfectly content, though confused.

"So, what are you then?"

Of course, that confusion was due to omissions in Natalie's explanation.

"Eh, it's complicated. I'm not completely sure." She mumbled.

Half-truths, also useful for half-friends.

"And you really can't hurt him?"

"On my mother's grave. If he's as skilled at fighting as you are, I'd probably lose in a straight fight, and yes, completely immune to … me." She finished with a shrug.

Maze turned the stools so that they were eye-to-eye. Natalie tried to scowl, but she could feel a flush rise across the bridge of her nose. Every inch that Maze leaned closer, Natalie began to wonder if she was some kind of mind-reader. The thought was quickly dismissed. A Mind-reading Maze would be a rampaging menace of sex and violence. Well, even worse than she currently was.

"And do you want to hurt him?"

Natalie's scowl became firm. She opened her mouth to protest, before a quick thought silenced her. Then promptly waltz out of her mouth without her permission.

"I do pull his hair a lot."

The flush spread across her entire face. Maze erupted into laughter of her own. Natalie groaned and turned to let her head fall against the bar-top. She felt Maze hit her back as the laughter carried on. Natalie was sure she had never been so mortified. Once Maze had regained her self control she continued her questioning.

"So what's the deal then? You in love with him or some shit?" Her smirk had a cruel edge.

Natalie's flush felt like it was trying to burn away her skin. She spent a lot of time avoiding thinking about the emotional storm that sprung up in response to him. However, Maze's question was a valid one. Was she in love with Lucifer?

'Yes.' Her mind supplied with ease. 'And that is not good.'

Her fingers slipped through her hair, a hard grip at the base. Maze was probably the closest thing to a "best friend" she had in a very long time. It was undeniable she need advice. With a heavy sigh, she opted for a bit more honesty.

"I did try to stay away from him. That stubborn ass showed up to Evan's party wearing a shirt from my favorite band and jeans, fucking jeans, like he actually belonged in the slumps with the rest of us. I mean, I'm glad that he's okay and that I can't really hurt him, but Maze … I'm scared of what I would do for him. To keep him safe, to kiss him. I feel like … like I'm more dangerous to everyone else.

"But I just can't seem to stop myself when he's right there. He cracks a joke and bam! It's all laughter and fun and I just can't seem to keep my whits about me."

"You could just not fight it." Maze said as though it was painfully obvious. "You're not human, whatever you are, so you shouldn't try to force their standards. I know I was rough on you, but I thought you were a scheming monster hunter out to lure us into a false sense of security and then kill us. But you're just a lovesick idiot who over-complicates everything."

Natalie didn't care for the level of self-satisfied mirth in Maze's tone. However, she ignored it in favor of the content of the comment.

"So, no more attempts to decapitate me?"

"Oh no, you're one of the only decent fights around. I'm not giving that up."

"Right. Of course not."

"But, this means we're cool."

The wave of relief that flooded through Natalie brought a soft smile to her face. Maze picked up her jacket, tossed a few bills on the bar-top, and took hold of the collar of Natalie's shirt. She made a chocking sound and turned to duck under the bounty hunter's arm. Maze proceeded to drag Natalie half-way across Los Angeles. Outside of a very festive looking ground-level club, Natalie finally asked what was going on.

Rather than answer, Maze pushed Natalie toward the entrance. Inside, Maze greeted a pack of women. Natalie stayed close to the door, unsure of what to do. Once Maze was released from the group, a shorter one bounced up to Natalie.

"Hi! I'm Ella!" She shouted over the music before hugging Natalie.

Natalie looked to Maze in a panic. However, her friend was busy laughing at her. She raised a hand and patted Ella on the back.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Natalie."

She was finally released and Ella laughed. She held Natalie's hand and pulled her to the rest of the group. Once they had reached the table, Natalie introduced herself again. The blonde at the table smiled and returned her name. It was when the last of the group came to the table from the bar that a weird silence descended on the table.

"Detective Decker."

"Natalie Varquez. What a surprise."

"Maze, why is the cop here? I thought you said we were cool?"

"Chloe isn't a detective right now. She's my roommate, and my friend. Plus, she's Lucifer's best friend. You two need to learn to get along." Maze stated in a tone that demanded no argument.

The two stared at each other a moment longer before cop-girl sighed.

"Fine. You did save Trixie, so you can't be all bad. I just got a fresh jug, let's get you a glass."

"Thanks, Decker." Natalie said in a friendly tone.

Maze was right. (It was beginning to bother Natalie how often that happened.) Decker was a part of Maze and Lucifer's lives. They should find a way to get along, at least in group settings. So, with genuine intent, Natalie spent the evening partying and getting to know the rest of Maze's friends.

It was fairly late into the night when Decker finally slid up next to Natalie while the rest were doing a terrible rendition of the electric slide. While the conversation was bound to happen at some point, she was surprised how long the night went on before the moment had come. Drinks were going to be needed for this. Natalie waved her hand toward the bartender, who nodded back. Quick service, and drinks and hand, the two toasted and drank quietly.

"Thanks, by the way." Decker said, setting back down her drink.

"What?"

That was not how she was expecting this to start.

"For saving Trixie. I didn't know it was you at the time, but thanks."

"Who told you?"

"Lucifer. He was trying to get me to let up on you."

This was not at all what she had been expecting.

"You're not going to make some speech about not hurting him. I thought you were the best friend."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure he can handle himself. I mean, as long as his humping everything that moves and smiles doesn't bother you."

The pause to peek over at Natalie was not subtle.

"What ever do you mean?" She asked in a fake innocence.

Decker looked deliciously uncomfortable. Maybe this whole same circle of friends business wouldn't be so bad. In fact, a small test was needed.

"His … " She paused to clear her throat, "I thought you knew … about the sex … with other people." The end was muttered into her drink.

Natalie gave her a moment to begin swallowing before striking.

"Oh, his vitality. Actually, I quite like that about him. Shows his stamina."

The look when Decker chocked on her drink would live with Natalie forever. It would brighten any dark days that would come. She couldn't be bothered to stop the laughter that boiled out of her. Maze came back from the dance floor to make sure that Natalie hadn't poisoned her roommate. Unfortunately for Decker, when she shared what Natalie had said, Maze agreed with her and the mortification on Decker's brilliantly red face brought them both to tears with laughter.

The evening was going quite wonderfully, until Ella's date showed up. Natalie had been fetching the next pitcher and returned to the worst possible surprise. Ella seated in the embrace of a very familiar pair of arms in a shirt that only stayed in a single piece thanks to the mindful movements of its owner. An enraging smirk was tossed her way. Her ears were ringing so hard that she almost missed Ella's introduction.

"Nat! You got the tea! Awesome! Oh, this is Marcus, by the way. We met at the conference and well... we're spending his vacation together."

"Vacation? I guess everyone comes to L.A. at least once." She said in a flat tone.

"Indeed, my son died, and I'm here on bereavement leave."

Natalie's eyes narrowed.

"Marcus, was it? Condolences."

"Thanks, Nat." He responded with a smile that made her hand itch to dump the pitcher over his head.

Before Natalie could begin a retaliation, a ringing from her pocket stole her attention. The catchy tune causing both a immediate flush and an elevation in heart-rate. She pulled the flip-phone from her pocket and opened it to check who was calling her. The sensation of hard, blue eyes watching her made her skin prickle and she tried to ignore the man across the table as she stepped away to answer.

"Hey, what's up?" She answered, just barely over the music.

"I have found myself with a pair of tickets to a comet showing party at the Observatory. The event doesn't start until 3 in the morning, which gives you time to escape from whatever nonsense Maze has roped you into."

The smile that broke across her face refused to be contained, so she turned further away from the view of the table.

"Oh? And how did you know I was with Maze?"

"She sent me a photo. It's actually rather humorous. I'll have to send it to you."

"I suppose I could slip out to met you there."

"Marvelous. I'll see you then."

Natalie returned to the table, and sat back down.

"Anything important?" Came from across the table.

The smug look that "Marcus" wore told Natalie everything she needed to know. He already knew who had called her. Shame she never minded those stupid slide shows, or she might recall why he had such an interest in Lucifer. Assuming he had been telling the truth at the time, which she doubted. Regardless, she wasn't discussing Lucifer with him.

"Never-mind that! You two must tell me the story of how you met!" She said, jovially.

Ella jumped at the chance to explain.

"Oh, oh. It was amazing. I was at the cross-state conference being held downtown. It's a low-key to-do here in L.A. But every forensic scientist with any kind of street cred was there, so obviously I had to go, right?"

"Right." Natalie prompted.

"Yeah, so, I recognized him from the big red tape conference in Chicago. Because he's the lieutenant there and does a lot of red tape. Like, it was a life-changing event." Ella gushed.

Nodding along, Natalie paused and glared. "Oh. A cop, huh?"

"That a problem?" He asked back.

"No, no problem." Ella interjected, "Natalie here sometime gets into trouble, but she's not wanted right now or anything."

Ella's attempts to pacify the table wilted under the momentary glares being thrown across the table.

"Cops dating cops. Seems a thing in this group." Natalie said carefully, returning to her beer.

A nervous laugh came from Ella, who continued her story to help ease away the tension. However, until Maze returned from the dance-floor and Natalie said her goodbyes, the sensation of being watched never left her. Glacial blue eyes tracking her every movement. The distrust was insulting considering these were her friends (in the very loosest terms). The trip across town soothed her.

Natalie pulled on her jacket when she arrived at the observatory. A quick roll of her shoulders relieved the ache. She was fifteen or so minutes early, but her wait was short before a familiar black convertible pulled in front of the building. The wonderful smile that brightened her world returned. Ever the gentleman, Lucifer offered his arm as he neared the stairs.

Her hand curled around the crook of his arm. When his hand came to set on top of hers, her flush returned in full force. The frantic flutter that had replaced her heartbeat couldn't seem to properly supply her blood to her brain. The whole world seemed to be tilted and she was rather light headed. She could feel the warmth of his skin beneath the layers of exquisite cloth.

The longing compulsion to feel his skin properly left her core unbearably warm. She tried to breathe deep and maintain control, but it only made her lightheaded sensation worse. Maze's words came back to her. With a playful smirk of her own, she stepped ahead of him when they passed the ticket booth. There was still ten minutes before the event began.

"Dance with me?" She asked softly.

"Gladly." He whispered back before swiping her into a waltz.

Their dance flowed like a moonflower before the morning sun, slowly spiraling closer. In the background, the operator began the show, and described the event. As they turned round and round, Lucifer pulled her closer still, until they were molded together. The pressure of him against so much of her, the spinning room, brought her world down to just the two of them once again. The hand she had placed on his shoulder wandered up to his hair line. The tug down was gentle, but he responded with enthusiasm.

After a moment, she leaned back and muttered, "We're missing the comet. The guy said it would be a few centuries before it comes back."

"We'll catch it then." He rumbled against her lips before kissing her again.