10.07.2017
Charlotte and Dan had chosen a nice little table tucked into a corner of the small coffee place, enjoying each other's company. Conversation flowing easily between them, although Dan couldn't help but be curious about what had taken place behind closed doors at the precinct.
"I know it's none of my business," he started, throwing her a small smile. "But how do you do it?"
"Do what?" Charlotte inquired, returning the smile.
"Keep him in line."
"Who? Lucifer?" she asked with a laugh and Dan nodded. She regarded him for a few beats before saying, "You have a child, Daniel."
"Yes, I do," he said, smiling fondly at the thought of Trixie.
"So I'm sure you know how parenting works. – I threatened to take away his electronics," she told him with a wink. Barking a laugh, Dan shook his head slightly. "But let's not ruin this afternoon by talking about our children." She smiled at him again and Dan noticed that he really, really liked that smile. He was just about to agree with her, when over her shoulder he noticed someone entering the café. Someone they really didn't wish to see here.
"That's gonna be hard to do," he told her instead, nodding towards Lucifer just as he pulled a chair up to their table and wedged himself between his Mother and Dan.
"There you are," he greeted them in an awfully chipper tone, plonking down on the seat. "I've been looking all over for you." Plucking a piece of muffin from Dan's plate, he tossed it into his mouth, munching happily. "Mmh," he hummed in appreciation to the fine flavour. "Cheat day, Daniel?"
"Son, what are you doing here?" Charlotte asked stonily having recovered from his sudden appearance faster than Dan.
"Well, what does it look like?" Lucifer said with a small chuckle. "I'm joining you for coffee." He'd come to the conclusion that anger and resentment obviously weren't the right way to go about this. Therefore he would pretend to be happy and engage in pleasant conversation. Mum couldn't get angry with him for behaving like a gentleman.
"Oh, no, you're not," she contradicted, a sharp edge in her tone that involuntarily made Lucifer sit up straighter, although he tried to hide it behind a guileless expression. "I'm terribly sorry about this, Daniel." She touched Dan's forearm with a dainty hand, an apologetic smile on her face, before withdrawing and turning towards Lucifer. Who for his part had to fight hard not to recoil from her furious glare. Apparently Mum could get angry at him for gentlemanly behaviour. She should make up her mind already, he groused internally.
"Now, son, why are you here? Is there some kind of emergency?" she asked with calmness that Lucifer wouldn't have found possible judging by the look on her face.
"Why, indeed, Mother, one could phrase it like that," he agreed cheerfully. "I'm –"
"Daniel, I really hate to ask this of you," Charlotte interrupted him, returning her attention back to her date since she had apparently already decided that whatever Lucifer was about to declare as 'emergency' really wasn't one. "But it seems my son" A meaningful look was thrown at Lucifer "doesn't seem to take my earlier promises seriously. Would you mind, if we postponed this?" The gloating look on Lucifer's face upon hearing those words was however quickly wiped away by his Mother's fuming glare. He wisely decided to celebrate his victory in silence – and without giving any outward sign of his inner festivities.
"Yes, sure, don't worry," Dan stammered already standing up, pushing his hands into his pockets uncertainly. This was not how he had envisioned their afternoon to go down. Damn Lucifer and his interference! He tried to keep the disappointment from showing, but Charlotte must have still caught it. She got to her feet, looking at him with a very forced smile.
"Walk me outside?" she asked softly and upon receiving a nod from Dan, motioned her son to follow them with a jerk of her hand and a terse order. For once he did so without arguing.
"You wait here for me," Charlotte commanded Lucifer once they were on the sidewalk, pointing to a spot right next to the entrance of the café. "Do not move." Dan kept out of the dispute and avoided looking directly at Lucifer. For one, he really didn't want to see his smug face – he might punch him if he did – and secondly he didn't want Chloe's partner to see the hurt expression on his face. It would only give him something to gloat about and tease him with. As if the man wasn't able to make every aspect of Dan's life a laughing matter without much effort. He didn't need any further ammunition. He had to admit that it didn't hurt his ego to see Lucifer manhandled and commanded by Charlotte. Some humility would do him a load of good. Charlotte led them several steps towards his car in the small parking lot, out of Lucifer's earshot.
"Daniel," she started, touching his arm. "I really am sorry about this."
"It's okay," he was again quick to reassure. "Kids, right?" he added jokingly, plastering a fake smile on his face. Charlotte saw right through it. She felt horribly embarrassed by her son's behaviour. The sudden end of their date made her as angry and disappointed as Dan, but she now had more pressing matters to attend to. Putting her son in line and making sure that there would be no repetition of this childish and outrageous behaviour. She too forced a smile on her face.
"How about we'll meet for dinner tonight at eight, if you're available," she suggested running her hand up his arm. "I know a lovely little restaurant. – I'll text –"
"This is not what I had in mind, when I asked you to cancel your date!" Lucifer protested loudly as he approached. Apparently he still hadn't learned to stay put, Dan thought wryly, already forming an apology to save Charlotte the pain of coming up with one later. However he wasn't prepared for Charlotte's sudden response to Lucifer's interruption and was pretty sure he was staring open-mouthed at them as she whirled around to face Lucifer, bringing his advance to a sudden halt. She took a step towards her son getting right in his personal space and Lucifer, the self-assured club owner and constant thorn in Dan's sight, visibly flinched. He honest-to-God flinched at Charlotte's livid expression. And if that alone hadn't been enough to make up for their ruined date, Dan thought, her hand seized Lucifer's ear in a flash, pulling him down to her height, before hissing, "Which part of 'stay put, don't move' was not clear to you?"
"Ow!" Lucifer complained lowly, covering his Mother's hand with his own to either pry off her fingers or hide the fact that she was holding him by the ear. He really couldn't be choosy in this situation. His eyes frantically swept the parking lot to evaluate if any other onlookers might be privy to his debasement, but gladly he couldn't spot anyone except of course Detective Douche. Which was horrible enough all on its own. The question obviously being a rhetorical one, his Mother turned back towards Daniel, murmuring in a sweet voice that stood in stark contrast to the unyielding fingers that still pinched his ear painfully, "I'll text you the details," before thankfully releasing his poor appendage. His own fingers immediately took up their place and tried to rub some feeling back into it, while his face burned with an almighty blush. He might have been rendered speechless for the moment, which of course he'd never – ever – admit to anyone. Looking at Dan he feared that the man had been struck by some kind of seizure.
"Yes, sure, no problem," Dan stuttered. "Do you want me to pick you up?" Detective Douche had recovered from his short-term brain-death quicker than Lucifer thought possible.
"I'll let you know," Charlotte replied sweetly. "Lucifer, come along." To underline her order, she grabbed her son by the upper arm and led him towards his car, leaving Dan to stare after them in astonishment.
"Why are you dragging me? Are you afraid I'll get lost on the way to the car, Mother? I am quite capable of walking by myself," Lucifer complained loudly halfway across the parking lot as he had finally found his voice again, trying to shrug out of his Mother's grip. Dan was pretty sure Lucifer's expensive dress shoes issued sparks on the concrete as Charlotte stopped abruptly, jerking him to stand beside her. Keeping his arm in a firm hold, she pointed a finger at his face in warning and noted with satisfaction that finally Lucifer was showing an appropriate reaction.
"I am very close to baring your backside right here to give you a preview of what's waiting for you when I get you home," Charlotte whispered furiously. "So I suggest you keep your smart comments to yourself and do not test me." Without waiting for a reply she continued walking, towing Lucifer along. She would get to the bottom of this – quite literally.
Meanwhile Dan was wondering what on earth Charlotte had whispered to her son that had made Lucifer's face blush so furiously and throw him a frantic look over his shoulder as he was dragged to his awesome vintage car.
The car ride to Lucifer's penthouse was spent in silence. Charlotte had issued the order after taking his keys, along with a promise of further repercussions lest she be ignored, before starting the car, and Lucifer was sulking in the passenger seat. He didn't dare antagonise his Mother for fear that she made good on her earlier threat to pull over. He was still angry and whole-heartedly against letting her go out with Detective Douche, but he wasn't quite as dense as his brother believed him to be. He did know when to pick his battles and rein in his temper. He just rarely chose to do so. But he had obviously pushed Mum as far as she was willing to let him (and then some), and he did not wish to be humiliated in public – any more. So silence it would be. For now.
Charlotte on the other hand was still seething. She could not fathom why her son was so hell-bent on sabotaging her relationship with Detective Espinoza. For him to be unhappy about it, she could understand, but this downright disregard towards her wishes and orders was taking it a step too far. She'd make sure he remembered who the parent was. She would not be embarrassed like that again. Preparing herself for the oncoming battle, Charlotte pulled into Lucifer's private parking, waited for her son to join her next to the car and dragged him towards the elevator.
Lucifer followed his Mother – not that he had much of a choice given her iron grip around his arm. He should probably feel alleviated that she didn't grab for his ear this time.
He wanted to get to the relative privacy of his penthouse to continue his quest of sabotaging her date with Detective Douche. He assumed that she must have calmed down by now. Therefore he would present her with his well-chosen arguments again until she saw reason. She would realise that he was right, praise him for his insight and apologise profusely for her earlier uncalled-for treatment of him. He, of course, would accept her apology in a grant gesture of mercy and advise her to consult with him before rushing head first into a possible romance. That would be his desired course of their upcoming conversation. Of course nothing was ever easy with his Mother and he prepared himself for a lengthy discussion. And if this plan failed, he could always stall her until she missed the date.
"All right, Mother," he started, walking ahead of her into his apartment and throwing his suit jacket onto one of his armchairs. "You have got me here in the privacy of my home. – Now tell me, what do I have to do to keep you from going out with Daniel tonight? What strikes your fancy? What do you desire?" He turned his best puppy-eyes onto Charlotte. He knew that his gift didn't work with her. What parent would grant their child the ability to draw out their deepest and darkest desires? That would just be plain stupid. And while his parents certainly were a lot of things, stupid wasn't one of them. Charlotte only chuckled in response to her son's query. That was a good sign, Lucifer decided, it meant no immediate threat to his backside.
"I'm your Mother, Lucifer," she stated. "I do not strike deals with you. Do not mistake this for a negotiation. I will meet Daniel later tonight. End of discussion." She threw her son a meaningful look, as he took a seat on the couch in precaution.
"But it's madness!" Lucifer exclaimed. "I am merely trying to prevent you from making a terrible mistake!"
"You are not responsible for my choices, son," Charlotte replied. "And do not try to fool me into thinking that you are doing this out of concern for me. – You don't like Detective Espinoza. That is the only reason you're trying to interfere here."
"Of course I don't like him!" Lucifer exclaimed loudly, a sudden bout of anger making his eyes flash. There goes my plan of calmly discussing this, Lucifer thought wryly. "He fucked my Mother!"
"Watch your mouth!" Charlotte warned.
"It's like you're missing the part of your brain that is responsible for choosing a mate. Did your time with Dad cloud your judgement this much? Seriously, Mum, how many men do you need to fuck before you finally develop some kind of radar to filter them?" Without another word Charlotte got up from her seat on the couch and stalked towards the bathroom. She had heard enough of Lucifer's insults and bad attitude for one day. An adjustment of said attitude was definitely in order and she planned to do a thorough job.
"What are you doing?" Lucifer called after his mother. Had he won this argument? Where did she go?
"Looking for a hairbrush," Charlotte replied and Lucifer could hear her rummaging around in his bathroom.
"Your hair looks fine, Mother."
"It's not for my hair, son." He heard her say followed closely by a satisfied exclamation. She must have found the hairbrush she had been looking for. Watching her closely as she re-entered the room, a tight ball of dread formed in his stomach. Judging by the expression on her face, she was not going to brush her hair – or his. No, she planned to use it as a weapon! A heavy-looking, wooden weapon, perfect for her intended course of action. Involuntarily he scooted back on the couch. Funny how his Mother making threats did nothing to make him heed her many warnings, but as soon as she made the first move to follow through on them, he wished that he'd shut his mouth back when it would have done him some good. Or stayed home instead of following her to the café.
"You've sprouted enough insults for one day," Charlotte stated while approaching her son with quick strides. She noted with satisfaction that there was an appropriate level of apprehension showing on Lucifer's face. She hefted the brush in her hand, slapping it lightly against the palm of her other hand. The sturdy hairbrush would serve her well – it reminded her of the little 'helper' she'd used in the Silver City, whenever her children's misdeeds deserved something heavier than her hand.
"Yes, I'm sorry about that," Lucifer said quickly. The brush looked as if it would carry a mean sting. Maybe he still had a chance to wriggle out of that one. "Call it a slip of the tongue, if you wish. – No more insults, I promise."
"That's good to hear," Charlotte replied. "Stand up."
"What? Why?"
"Do you really need me to spell it out for you, son?" she said coming to stand next to him. "Up." She underlined her command with a wink of her hand. Lucifer on his part tried to put a little more distance between them and made no move to follow her order.
"No, I'm … Mum, this is not right!" Lucifer protested. "I am not doing anything wrong here! I just want you to see reason!" Charlotte grabbed him by the sleeve of his dress shirt and pulled lightly. He followed her direction, telling himself that she'd ruin his shirt if he resisted.
"Not doing anything wrong?" Charlotte repeated incredulously, while Lucifer watched in trepidation as she sat down in the spot he'd just vacated, placing the enormous hairbrush next to her. Why had he bought it again? When he'd admired its immaculate design and solidness, he certainly hadn't thought about it being used as a possible weapon. This situation was steadily getting out of control. "I'm more than willing to show you the many errors of your way today, son."
"This is ridiculous, Mother," he exclaimed. "It's a child's punishment! – I am an adult. Adults do not get punished like children. – In fact, it's not even good for children if you believe the experts."
"Parents have spanked their children since the beginning of time. – You should know. You were there. – It must be good for something if it stuck around for so long."
"Opinions change!"
"Well, mine hasn't. – Take down your trousers," Charlotte ordered, looking at her son both expectantly and sternly. She was done playing games. She'd given him enough chances to correct his attitude. He chose not to, so he would pay the piper.
"Mum! No!" Lucifer exclaimed hotly. "What is wrong with you?" He hastily stepped back trying to get himself out of range in case Mother chose to 'help him along'. "Adults are not spanked! – Well, sometimes they are, but that's for pleasure!"
"Stop procrastinating. Your trousers. – Or do you want me to do it?"
"I most certainly do not!" he spluttered in indignation. "Have I not made myself abundantly clear that we were discussing a different matter here? Your infatuation with Detective Douche? Remember? We were talking about that." Quick as a flash his Mother shot out of her seat and snatched him by the belt. She pulled him forward forcefully as she retook her seat, until he stood right next to her knee.
"I have had enough of your defiance and your attitude," she stated as she unfastened his belt with nimble fingers, using her son's shock to get the task done quickly. "You have embarrassed me enough today. This temper tantrum ends now."
"Mum, stop that!" he said angrily trying to pry her fingers of his clothing. Her only response was to grab the hairbrush and whack it down on the side of his left thigh. "Yeoch!" he yelled loudly, jerking his leg to the side away from the sharp pain while his hand immediately went for the spot she'd hit to rub at the sting. Charlotte used her son's momentary distraction to finish her task of removing his trousers, yanking them down his legs, before grabbing Lucifer's arm and pulling him forward across her left knee. She quelled his attempt to roll off her lap by wrapping her arm firmly around his waist and clamping his legs between her own. A move perfected a long time ago.
When rolling off her lap proved futile, Lucifer tried to push himself up and he thought he'd done a remarkably good job of it, until he felt the brush descending onto his poor posterior.
"Ow!" he yelled, delaying his attempt to get out of this embarrassing situation for the moment to throw his hand back to shield his butt from further harm. "Mum, stop!"
"Remove your hand," she ordered calmly while bringing the brush down expertly on the other cheek. He did. But only to resume his attempt at pushing himself up. "And settle down, son. You are not getting up until I've finished." Tightening her hold on her squirming son, she smacked the brush down firmly a couple of times in quick succession.
"Why are you so freakishly strong?" Lucifer asked still fighting to push himself up and off his Mother's lap. It was infuriating beyond belief that she could hold him down without much effort. He was the Devil! He should not be overpowered by his Mum! But his feet couldn't find purchase on the ground due to his awkward positioning over her knees and her elbow pressed down onto his back, keeping him exactly where Mum wanted him. He tried bucking off her lap, but that only resulted in far more vicious smacks.
"I'm not. – You're just not resisting very hard," Charlotte replied and dealt out the same number of swats to the other cheek. "Now, hold still. You're only making this harder for yourself." Realising that his struggle was in vain, Lucifer settled to concentrate on enduring this ordeal in silence. Well, not complete silence. He'd still argue his case.
"This is wrong on so many levels, I don't even know where to begin!" he groused, his hands balling in anger. The brush hurt! And Mum was just beginning. "You are aware of that, right?"
"You've been acting out all week. – Now you got what you asked for," Charlotte stated, not acknowledging her son's comment in the slightest. She whacked the brush down again, spacing the smacks to let every new one sink in before following it with another. All the while closely watching his reactions.
"I am not 'acting out'! And I never 'asked for it', as you like to phrase it! Every time you say that, I keep wracking my brain to remember when exactly I 'asked for it'. – Ow! Want to hear my result?" As his Mother set about setting his backside on fire, he crossed his ankles to keep himself from kicking his feet. It hurt pretty badly already, so he channelled all his energy into his anger.
"Not necessarily, no," Charlotte replied.
"I didn't! – I never ask for this! I mean who would? It's bloody unpleasant!" He scrunched up his face as a particularly hard smack fell onto the crease where butt met thigh, suddenly immensely grateful that Mum had left his boxer briefs in place.
"Ah! Mum, it hurts!" he complained loudly, hitting the floor with his fist. It was an entirely awkward experience hanging head down over her lap, his forehead almost touching the rug. He felt ridiculous, childish and incredibly angry. Meanwhile Charlotte continued her onslaught, peppering his backside with well-placed swats.
"Do we need to talk about the reason that landed you in this situation?" she asked after a minute of relentless smacking. It was taking all of Lucifer's considerable willpower to stay quiet and hold the treacherous tears at bay.
"I'm not stupid!" he yelled furiously. "Of course I bloody well know! OW!"
"Then you also know that your behaviour is still leaving much room for improvement," Charlotte stated, delivering a volley of sharp smacks to the undercurve of Lucifer's butt. "And until I hear an apology for your embarrassing conduct today and see a change in your behaviour that indicates contrition, I will continue."
"You must have lost your mind, Mother!" Lucifer groused angrily, renewing his attempt at pushing himself up. He could no longer suppress grunts of distress whenever the brush fell. "Aah! – Bloody hell! – Let me up!" His demands fell onto deaf ears. Charlotte just tightened her hold around his waist, her arm pinning him down and continued.
"Settle down, son," she ordered calmly. "Or would you like to lose your underwear as well? Maybe a little humility will make you realise how embarrassing your behaviour was for me today?"
"No!" he yelled in mortification, but despite better judgement increased his struggle to get away. It hurt! In his opinion this barbarian treatment was still vastly unjustified and he refused to break down, admit defeat and beg his Mother's forgiveness. He was in the right here!
"All right," Charlotte stated, putting the implement down on the couch within easy reach and started to tug down his briefs. As expected, her son's struggle increased still, his hand flying back to prevent her from baring him.
"NO! Mum, stop it!" he protested furiously, twisting and turning in her hold as far as he was able to, but he couldn't avert the inevitable and soon his briefs were bunched somewhere around his knees. He had not the slightest idea of how she had managed that while maintaining her iron-tight hold on his legs. Must be some kind of parental superpower, he didn't yet know about. Doling out a quick, sharp smack to his bared backside, she ordered, "Calm down, Lucifer."
"No! This isn't right!" he groused, still thrashing around, without gaining even the slightest improvement to his situation. His face burned in mortification and he desperately hoped that no unannounced visitors would barge in. Mum smacked him again with the flat of her hand and, bloody hell! It hurt so much worse on bare skin! Drawing in pained gasps and suppressing a high-pitched squeak as she rained down a flurry of swats, he tried again to twist his butt out of her line of fire, but to no avail. Her punishing hand found its target again and again and the pain was steadily building up to an unbearable level. A shuddering breath left him as he finally realised that he wouldn't go anywhere if Mum didn't allow it and he settled over her knees. Hitting the floor angrily with his fist, he hung his head in shame, and resigned himself to his fate.
Charlotte could see the shift in his posture as he realised the limits of his choices. He slumped miserably, helplessly frustrated and she patted his back once approvingly before picking the hairbrush back up and resting it lightly against Lucifer's butt, checking the rosy cheeks for signs of bruises. She had no intention to harm her son and was immensely happy that he seemed to have settled down and was accepting his punishment. Smacking the brush down more lightly than before, she took notice of Lucifer twitching at the new sensation. His resistance seemed to be broken and Charlotte allowed herself a small sigh of relief. She rained down a few more smacks.
"Ow, Mum! It hurts more this way!" The complaint left his mouth before he could stop it and he blushed in response, but made no more attempts to get away other than the slight squirming that went along with this sort of punishment.
"And that is entirely your fault, Lucifer," Charlotte replied, alternating cheeks while her son twisted his butt from left to right to avoid her ministrations. His breathing was decidedly heavier and his shoulders heaved both from the exhaustion of his earlier struggle and the building pain in his hindquarters.
Lucifer felt his eyes sting with unshed tears and he rested his head on his forearms pressing his fingers to his eyes. The pain was growing steadily and he seriously regretted making this whole ordeal so much worse for himself. His legs seemed to move on their own accord, ankles crossing and uncrossing in a vain attempt to alleviate the sting in his backside. He jerked his hips from left to right as far as his Mother's strong hold allowed but all proved futile. She wasn't relenting and the wicked brush kept finding its target.
"Mum, please stop. I'm sorry for embarrassing you," he begged hoarsely, disgusted at himself at the same time. "It hurts plenty with your hand. You don't need to use this … thing." The tears finally spilled over as a particularly sharp smack caught the underside of his butt. And as the brush fell onto that part of his bottom several more times, the disgust at having begged his Mother to stop just moments earlier vanished. He croaked out several more pleas for leniency but they fell on deaf ears, so he gave up and cried quietly into his arms. It seemed as if he'd wasted all his energy on his fruitless fight to get off her lap and now there was none left to endure this stoically.
Hearing the first tears and heartfelt pleas, Charlotte had to steel her heart. If she stopped now, Lucifer would bounce back in the matter of a few short moments and go back to his earlier arguments, insults and overall childish behaviour. So she smacked on, albeit with less force. It didn't seem to make a difference to her son. He wept pitifully, his face hidden and his shoulders shuddering with each suppressed sob. He must have been more tired than she had assumed, if he broke down like this.
"I'm sorry," he hiccupped.
"Will I have to listen to any more insults or arguments tonight?" Charlotte asked sternly.
"No!" Lucifer agreed quickly. "I'll be good! I promise!"
"And will there be a repeat of the overall embarrassing behaviour you displayed today?" she queried.
"No!" he replied. "I'm sorry!"
"All right," Charlotte said gently. "Then we're finished here. – You did well, son. I'm proud of you." She loosened her hold and ran her hand soothingly up and down his back a few times before bending slightly and pulling his underpants back into place, slipping his shoes off his feet and untangling the trousers from his ankles. Lucifer let her, never moving from his bend over position, while he tried to get his breathing under control and stop his tears; most likely embarrassed about his display of emotions.
"Come on, son," she coaxed gently, gripping his arm and carefully nudging him to a kneeling position. "I'll get a washcloth for your face." Charlotte left the room quickly to give Lucifer a few moments to himself. Checking the time, she wrote a quick message to Amenadiel, ordering him to the penthouse to keep his brother company for the evening and to bring food.
"Here, son," she said, as she returned to the living room, handing Lucifer the wet washcloth. He stood awkwardly by his bar, shifting from foot to foot in apparent discomfort and embarrassment. He quickly wiped the evidence of his crying off his face before discarding the cloth and regarding his Mother uncertainly. His butt hurt somewhat awfully, but he refused to put his hands back to feel the damage. He was immensely happy that Mum had stripped him off his trousers and he was fairly certain that he would not put them back on anytime soon. The heat radiating off his backside should not be contained by trousers. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Mum approaching him until she wrapped him in a tight hug. Her hand coming to rest at the nape of his neck and pressing his face to rest on her shoulder, while stroking his hair soothingly. Relaxing slightly, he allowed himself to enjoy her touch for the moment. Her other hand alternatively rubbed comforting circles or patted him lightly on the back. Turning his face to glimpse at his Mother, he couldn't help but say, "I still don't want you to go out with Dan."
"Lucifer," Charlotte warned in a low tone, her hand squeezing his neck a bit too tightly to still be called gentle.
"I'm just saying," he mumbled, moving away from her. Her raised eyebrow not at all reassuring.
"Well, don't," she replied sternly. "Unless you'd like a second round."
"Fine, fine," he grumbled turning away from her. "But don't come crying to me afterwards, if it doesn't work out."
"Mh-mh," Charlotte replied, suppressing a smile at her son's antics, before preparing herself to broach the next sensible subject. "I texted Amenadiel," she started. "He'll be over shortly with food and to keep you company tonight."
"What?" Lucifer asked incredulously, stopping in his attempt to pour himself a liberal amount of scotch, because seriously, he'd earned it. "Why?" His face flushing in both shame and anger – again. "Do I need a babysitter now as well? – Am I not to be trusted to stay home alone? – Or come after you and ruin your date?"
"To be honest, that's exactly why he is coming over," Charlotte replied and Lucifer's eyes flashed dangerously; the pain in his backside momentarily forgotten over the indignation at his Mother's newest proposal. Balling his hands, he leant forward to glare at her furiously. He neither wanted nor needed his big brother here tonight, breathing down his neck and teasing him about his predicament. Mum must have lost her mind to even propose such a ridiculous notion.
"You must be out of your bloody mind, Mother," he voiced his thoughts in a growl and in a fit of rage grabbed the still empty glass and threw it across the room. Feeling quite satisfied as it shattered upon impact. Glaring at his Mother, he opened his mouth to let her know what exactly he thought of her asinine idea. Only he never got that far.
Grabbing her son by the ear, Charlotte made quick work of bending him over the piano, before bringing her hand down in an almighty slap on his bare thigh that resonated through the room like a gunshot and left a bright red handprint in its wake. Sucking in a startled and pained gasp, Lucifer couldn't help but jerk his hip sideways. He didn't get very far though because his ear was still seized in a firm grip. His defiance and anger vaporised immediately. Still maintaining her firm grip on his ear, Charlotte pulled Lucifer back up to face her.
"Have I got your attention now, son?" she asked threateningly, twisting his ear painfully. Lucifer stooped hurriedly, following the sharp pull.
"Yes!" he replied quickly, his hand covering his Mother's; fingers fumbling clumsily at hers, and, damn it, it hurt! "You can let go now. – Please?"
"Repeat what is going to happen, once I leave," Charlotte ordered, not heeding her son's wishes in the slightest.
"Amenadiel will come over because you deem me in obvious need of a babysitter – ow!" he exclaimed, as his Mother pinched his ear more tightly in response to his disrespectful tone.
"And what will you do?"
"I'll go to bed. Like a good devil," Lucifer couldn't help but add sarcastically and was rewarded with another painful twist of his ear. "Ah! Mu-um!"
"What will happen if I find out that you haven't been the perfect little angel that I raised you to be?" Charlotte asked to clarify, still less than thrilled by her son's attitude.
"How should I now? – I can't read your mind!" Lucifer exclaimed, bending his knees to accommodate better to his Mother's height.
"Make an educated guess, son," Charlotte ordered drily.
"You'll probably find a new and inventive way to torture me!" he yelped and heaved a sigh of relief as his Mother finally let go. Straightening up he prodded his ear with careful fingers, before cupping it with his hand in an effort to make it hurt less. It didn't.
"It's not new and inventive. It's very old and tried and yields results," Charlotte clarified with a raised eyebrow. "Now, clean that up," she said pointing at the remains of the glass. "Eat what Amenadiel will provide. And then it's off to bed with you. – I'll be on my way. Your brother will be here shortly." Grumbling to himself, Lucifer eyed the mess on the floor. "And Lucifer?" Charlotte waited until her son's sullen eyes were fixed on her. "Behave."
When his Mother had finally left the penthouse, he quickly discarded the shards into the trash bin. Not because Mum had ordered him to, but because he refused to live in any kind of mess. What an incredibly awful day it had been. He'd been embarrassed in front of Detective Douche –twice! Mum had actually spanked him like some misbehaving child, his brother would be over shortly to babysit and he'd been send to bed early, and still he had not achieved his main goal: sabotaging Mum's date with Detective Douche. Pouring himself a generous helping of scotch, he skulked off to his bedroom to nurse his bruised ego (and arse – and ear) in solitude.
"So what did you do to piss her off?" Amenadiel asked stepping into his brother's spacious bedroom and leaning against the doorframe. Lucifer stood at the window, facing away from him. He took in his slightly slouched frame and unusually unkempt hair. He was still wearing his dress shirt, although it was wrinkled. But what stood out most prominently was the absence of trousers.
"What makes you think I did anything?" Lucifer replied, not turning around. He was apparently not ready to face his big brother yet. His voice was slightly hoarse and had a definite edgy undertone. Of course Amenadiel had already figured out what had happened here, even if he did not know any details and no-one had actually told him. But he wasn't stupid. He remembered their Mother's chosen method of chastising her children all too well. He had been on the receiving end of that particular treatment several times back when they had still been a happy family in the Silver City. – And as the eldest he had provided a source of comfort for his younger siblings whenever they had deemed their parents' chastisement too harsh or unfair.
"For one, Mom called me here to basically babysit my grown-up little brother. Secondly you're supposed to be in bed by – oh yeah – 7:45 in the evening," Amenadiel stated after checking his watch.
"Maybe I'm just tired and not feeling well?" Lucifer still hadn't turned around.
"You also have a mom-sized handprint on your thigh. – Looks painful by the way. – So what did you do, little brother?" Amenadiel repeated lightly. Lucifer glanced over his shoulder at his brother, then tried to spot the mark he'd commented on, without much success.
"Mum didn't like my interference – and attitude," he finally admitted turning around to face Amenadiel.
"Nothing new there," Amenadiel replied good-naturedly, but decided not to push. "Wanna play video games and eat pizza? – I brought a playstation and some games. It's fun. You should try it." Lucifer threw him a baffled look.
"Are you not going to be the good little soldier and herd me off to bed?" he asked sarcastically.
"Mom's not here," Amenadiel said with a wink. "I won't tell. – Come on, Luci. It's boring to play alone."
"I'll pass. Thank you," Lucifer stated, turning away again. "But you go ahead and knock yourself out."
"Don't be a grouch," Amenadiel said good-naturedly. "Or would you rather be tucked in bed and told a bedtime story? – Because that can be arranged," he added with a mischievous grin and wink as Lucifer threw him a dark look over his shoulder. Sighing loudly, Lucifer ran a hand through his messy hair, seemingly contemplating his brother's proposal. "Once upon a time, there was a boy who didn't know when to keep his big mouth shut," Amenadiel started.
"I hate you," Lucifer groused, a dark look on his face. "All right," he finally agreed. "But if you tattle, I'm going to make you regret it." Amenadiel barked a laugh.
"Just do me the favour and put on some pants," he said.
"I'd really rather not."
"That bad, huh?"
"You have no idea," Lucifer conceded, stepping into the living room. "Now show me how to play these video games."
END
