Disclaimer: Just imagine I'd own Lucifer – oh, the things I'd do.

Characters: Chloe, Lucifer; others

Inspired by: Too much listening to piano covers of Disney songs, naturally including 'Beauty and the Beast'.

A/N:I'm sorry. I had to do this. I'd had the story already finished in my head and even though dancing has already happened differently and was perfect for them, let me get this version of mine out of my head so I can do other things again xD

Tune as old as song

Up to now, Chloe has managed the day quite well. She's stayed at home, having a day off, and Trixie is with her Dad. Chloe has ignored her phone, and mostly watched old episodes of her favourite TV shows – simply doing nothing for once. This is her way of celebrating.

But now her phone's ringing for the seventh time in a few minutes, and she has a nagging feeling that she knows exactly who's trying to reach her... and if she doesn't answer, he might come here in person.

Better to get this over with quickly, she decides and grabs her phone.

Turns out he isn't calling because of what she'd been thinking but to ask her a favour.

"I really don't feel like going, Lucifer."

She hears him sigh on the other end of the line: "All right. Maybe I can get one of the Brittanies to join. Or both."

Now its her turn to sigh – she can't very well leave this to the Britannies – and while she wearily rubs her face, she catches herself saying, half resolved on going: "I don't have a dress for the occasion."

"I'm sure you can find something, Detective." His smile is audible, and she can't stop the corners of her mouth tugging up at his excitement.

"I'll come by your house at... seven?"

"Sounds perfect."

Chloe keeps the phone pressed to her ear – she feels no desire to hang up. Apparently neither does he.

A silent minute, not awkward though, passes until he finally says: "See you then."

"Yes."

"Bye, Chloe", he says and ends the call.

While Chloe stands up to change her baggy shirt and sweatpants for one of the nicest dresses she can find in her wardrobe, she suddenly realises he has called her by her name. A shiver runs down her spine and before she has made a few steps, a wide grin – one that actually might have been a bit wider than Lucifer's usual ones – is spreading all over her face.

Her disinclination is all but gone.

Even though Chloe's finished ten minutes early, Lucifer's already outside in the car waiting for her. When he notices her leaving the house, he gets out of the car to open the door for her and when she shakes her head at him - "I'm old enough to open doors for myself, you know?" - he snorts and makes a mock bow: "I'll keep that in mind, Detective."

He seems to be in a very good mood, though he doesn't talk much in the first few minutes of their ride. He also seems to have forgotten what day it is – not that Chloe minds in the least.

"So you're throwing a fund-raiser at Lux", she says when Lucifer stops at a red light.

He hesitates for a slight second, his brow furrowing before he nods: "Yes."

"What cause is the fund-raiser for?"

He turns to her and looks her up and down: "I really like your dress", he declares, taking her by surprise with his non-subtleness.

"Thanks." Chloe feels herself blushing.

The cars in front of them begin moving again, and Chloe resumes their former topic: "So, what's the fund-raiser for?"

Lucifer peers out of the front window intently and doesn't answer her question.

"Lucifer?", she repeats.

He keeps quiet, leaving her with a bad feeling in her stomach.

She really should have known Lucifer would be planning something like this, but she never would have expected both Dan and Trixie to go along with it, and her daughter, who usually isn't very good at keeping secrets, hasn't spilled a word about this.

Despite having known something was going on, Chloe startles when she enters Lux and is greeted by a huge shout of: "Surprise!"

Lucifer, who has his hand on her back pushing her forward, whispers in her ear: "Happy Birthday!"

She has so tried to avoid this year's birthday celebration... But now it's to late to escape, and, if she is honest, it is nice to see how many people have come.

Most of the party-goers have left some time ago, and only Chloe's closest friends and family remain, minus Trixie who has been brought home a while ago, despite protesting and clinging to Lucifer's legs.

The music has also been turned down to allow conversation more easily. They sit together at two tables, and Chloe can't help but feel her heart overflowing with joy and love for these people. This is so much better than hiding at home, hoping people to forget her birthday.

She takes a sip of her drink when Lucifer leans towards her: "I think you owe me a dance."

"I thought I'd get presents today, not demands."

"Who says this isn't my present to you? I'm a fairly good dancer."

Chloe is just about to say no when she sees Lucifer's pleading expression. She's blushing again and severely hopes that he doesn't notice in the half-light of his Club.

"All right then."

He offers her his hand and she takes it, trying not to think about how it feels to have her fingers intertwined with his. He leads her to Lux's dance-floor and just as they reach it, the usual music mix is turned off to be replaced by a slow, cliché waltz.

On seeing Chloe's dumbfounded expression, Maze only winks and waves at her before returning to her seat.

Before Chloe can think of a way to wriggle out of this situation, she finds herself being held expertly, close to Lucifer's chest.

There's a short moment of awkwardness and then, when Chloe looks up into his eyes and sees Lucifer's expression soften, the awkwardness is gone and replaced with something else entirely.

They begin to move in unison, and though Chloe isn't a great dancer, especially no good at classic dances, she doesn't misstep once. Keeping the rhythm with Lucifer leading is easy, and very soon she knows she never wants the song to end. It feels like they are levitating above the ground.

Trying to commit this moment to her memory in perfect detail, she inhales Lucifer's smell deeply. She tries to picture them from the outside, so close together, their fingers intertwined, his free hand on her back – but she knows she'll remember this anyway, if only because of the way he looks at her, smiling slightly, his eyes gentle and attentive, and underneath his usual gorgeous self she can see he himself is a bit insecure now, underneath he's just as keen on keeping this memory as she is, underneath he's her Lucifer, the real Lucifer.

They inch towards each other, their dance slowing down.

They get off beat, but neither one minds even a single bit.

They forget about the others who have stopped talking to stare at the two of them.

They stop just as the last note of the waltz fades away with their gazes firmly locked, and both try to discern what the other might be thinking, their faces so close to each other, hesitating, waiting for the other to move first.

Lucifer slowly brings up his hand and cups her face while she smiles up at him, her heart beating so fast it feels like it wants to jump right out of her chest. She leans into his touch, her eyes slowly closing while he caresses her cheek with his thumb: "Chloe", he says, his voice sounding hoarse and the tiniest bit unsteady.

Then he lets her go and makes a step back.

Chloe can't help but feel disappointed, but she knows him well enough to see that he's not ready yet.

"Thank you", she says, and she means everything, the whole evening, but especially the dance.

"Any time", he answers solemn and then he surprises her by taking her hand and bringing it up to his lips to kiss it – it should look and feel out of place and time, but somehow it makes her flush and smile and her knees weak.

The next moment, her tender Lucifer is gone and replaced by the usual one whispering with a suggestively raised eyebrow: "I like it when you're blushing."

She blushes.

He smirks and then calls out: "Maze! Music! And Daniel is in need of another drink – he's looking a bit tense. Don't you think?"