Exam Stress

Tonight was one of Chloe's rare, free nights.

No paperwork left to do.

No meeting to attend – or prepare.

No angels appearing out of nowhere asking for Lucifer's favor or advice.

And no children.

So, that would have left little to Chloe's imagination about which…activities she would participate in with her beloved, delightful, handsome partner.

But unfortunately for her, Lucifer was getting his psychology degree.

And it just so happened that the Devil was smack in the middle of finals. Or Hell on Earth, as he put it so mildly.

Lucifer smacked the calculator on the giant oaken desk in the penthouse. He put his face in his hands. "I do not understand why I have to know statistics in order to get a psychology degree."

"Maybe it's for getting more insight or something?" Chloe tried from her spot on the Italian leather couch. She put down the novel she'd been reading and got up. "I thought you said the lectures went okay?"

"Hmm." Lucifer downed the dregs of his Macallan from his Best Step-Devil Ever! – mug. Which normally would have entailed blasphemy, but he always made exceptions when it came to Trixie.

Big bad Devil, indeed.

Chloe settled herself sideways in his lap, peering at the exercises on the desk. "Didn't you go to all the lectures?"

"I may or may not have been watching funny cat videos." Lucifer circled his arms around her. "For an extended period of time."

Chloe quirked an amused eyebrow. "Really?"

"What? They're very amusing." She hummed in response, tracing a finger along the spine of The Beginnings and Basics of Statistics.

"The exam is in two days. Don't you have some studying to do?"

"Perhaps." His nose brushed the sensitive spot beneath her ear. His hand splayed possessively over her leg. "But I'd much rather do you instead."

The wicked sin in his voice sent a dangerous thrill down her spine. Heat coiled low in her abdomen as Chloe shuffled her thighs against each other.

It would be so easy to push him back in chair and give in to her desires.

Catch up on some much-needed personal time with her partner.

Let herself blow off some steam.

But...

"Lucifer."

His dark eyes sparkled with barely-concealed mischief. "Chloe."

"You have an exam in a couple of days," she said, tracing a finger down his stubble. She didn't miss the hitch in his breathing. "For your psychology degree. Which you really, really want.".

"True." His tongue flicked over her finger when she passed the corner of his mouth. Lucifer smirked. "But I want you more."

White-hot need flared in her core. Damn him and his silver tongue.

And damn him for knowing perfectly how to get her all riled up.

An open-mouthed kiss above her collarbone anchored her back to reality. Chloe plunged her fingers into the raven curls at the nape of his neck.

"We're... getting... off-topic," she panted, a moan slipping out when he swirled his tongue in the hollow of her throat.

Lucifer stilled. "I can take a break," he purred seductively against her skin. "Two, even."

His warm puff of breath skittered down her bones. Chloe chuckled. "We both know that once we get in bed, we won't be coming out the first hour."

"Who said anything about a bed?"

Images of their…exploring past summer flashed through her mind, and her cheeks flushed in response. There wasn't a surface in the penthouse they hadn't christened by now.

In hindsight, she shouldn't have been surprised that Rory had come along so quickly.

Chloe let out a breathy laugh and slid her fingers from his hair. If she didn't get him to focus now, then her resolve was going to slip as well with the way he was touching her.

She cupped his face between her hands, his dark gaze burning with want. "Lucifer."

"Chloe," he replied for the second time, his eyes dropping to her lips. He couldn't keep a grin from curling his mouth.

Oh, Lucifer knew exactly what he was doing.

"Your exam," Chloe emphasized, but unable to suppress a smile, "is more important right now. We can have some fun later. When you're done studying."

Lucifer gave her an honest-to-God pout, but even that looked seductive on him right now. He really was unfairly handsome. "What if we strike a bargain?"

"A bargain?"

"Yes." Lucifer solemnly put a hand on his chest. "I shall study for an hour more with your help, like the good and disciplined student I am."

"And when we're done," he continued, slowly trailing his fingers up the seam of her thigh, "we can go and have some fun together. Anywhere you want."

Chloe ignored the way her blood heated at the intense desire in his voice. She pretended to be deep in thought, still cupping his face between her hands. "And you'll promise to study – actually study?"

"You have my word," he said leaning in for a kiss.

Chloe turned her head sideways on purpose – grinning in the process - and grabbed the textbook off the desk. "Good. I see there are some exercises in here. Why don't we start with that?"

She felt Lucifer grin against the side of her face, then breathe out an amused laugh. "You wicked creature, Lieutenant."

"I'm merely upholding my side of the bargain."

"Yet you're still sitting in my lap."

Chloe lifted an amused eyebrow at him. "I'm comfortable like this. Do you want my help or not?"

"By all means, my love, lead the way."

She hummed as she saw a more focused expression overtake his features. Looks like he was trying his utter best not to let his feelings distract him.

Chloe flipped the heavy book open. "Right. Perhaps we can start with the introduction, or isn't that very useful?"

"Maybe." Lucifer looked over her shoulder at the pages and frowned. "Though I can't quite remember if we saw this in class or not."

"Okay, the text here starts with saying –"

A sound came from the penthouse balcony in the growing dusk, like a rustling of something. It went quiet, then came again a moment later.

Chloe stopped mid-sentence and looked at Lucifer. "What was that?"

"Probably some stray pigeons." He didn't appear to be concerned in the least, waving it off with the flick of a well-groomed hand. "They tend to get up here from time to time. Though I haven't the faintest idea why."

Chloe hummed, focusing her attention upon the text again. "So, in order to properly use the graphic calculator –"

The rustling came again, this time accompanied by a flapping sound – like the booming of large wings.

Lucifer and Chloe shared a look. That wasn't a stray pigeon, alright.

Before either of them could get up to respond, a tall figure appeared in the doorway to the balcony.

Remember what Chloe said about a free evening, with no unexpected visits from either of their family members?

Well, scratch that.

The newcomer was bronze-skinned with close cropped hair, wearing what Chloe found to be a lot akin to the armor of Roman legions. Gigantic, russet wings were carefully folded on his back – barely brushing the top of the doorway.

"Lucifer," the angel said with a polite nod, stowing his steel helmet under his arm. "It has been a while."

Lucifer sat bolt upright in the chair. He didn't make any attempt to move Chloe off his lap. "Malachiel. A couple millennia, give or take."

A smaller figure peeked out from behind Malachiel.

Her dark hair brushed the top of her collarbones, and instead of armor she wore a contraption made of cream-and-gray robes. Her ash gray eyes were intense – but not unkind. She flapped her dappled wings twice before stowing them away.

"And Berial. My, my. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The sudden appearance of Lucifer's siblings had caught her by surprise, but Chloe got a hold of herself. She deftly extracted herself from Lucifer's grip and slid off his lap..

"Hi," she said, extending a hand towards the newcomers. "Uh, I'm Chloe."

The two angels inclined their head respectfully – so at odds with the disdain some of Lucifer's older brothers treated her with. Like she was nothing more than a pesky ant.

"We know who you are, Chloe Decker." Malachiel's voice was calm, like a rippling brook. "You fought valiantly on the battlefield against Michael. Especially as a human amongst celestials."

His praise was unexpected, but not unwelcome. It felt nice to be treated like an equal by the angels – instead of a pesky ant they could crush beneath their boot any possible second.

"Well, thank you. But I wasn't the only human in the battle. Eve was there as well."

Faint amusement twinkled in Berial's eyes at her reluctance to take the compliment. "That may be true, but Eve has been amongst us since the dawn of humanity. She's been used to our presence since her creation, and can very well hold her own in combat."

Lucifer stepped up beside, her putting a hand on her lower back to reassure her. Tension lined his shoulders and jaw. "This is all very cozy, but why have you come all the way here? Trouble in Paradise?"

Her partner's suspicion kindled doubt inside Chloe. Surely they hadn't come here to harm them? Amenadiel would never allow that.

Bu what if he doesn't know? a voice said in the back of her mind. God didn't know about Michael's betrayal, either.

It was moments like this that Chloe remembered why she'd taken the necklace – even though it had eventually turned her against the person she loved most.

The feeling of utter helplessness – of knowing you could be cut down any second by these creatures, and no earthly weapon could help. Nothing could protect your loved ones.

The two angels exchanged and awkward look. Malachiel cleared his throat. "No, of course not. Everything is fine up above. We just heard – or rather, I heard –"

"The news spread about the birth of your offspring," Berial cut in with a glance at her brother. "And it has come to our attention that there is a certain tradition on Earth regarding newborns."

"What do you want with Rory?" Lucifer's voice had gone lethally cold, the suspicion replaced by outright hostility. "I will not allow her to be studied like a guinea pig, if that's what you're after. Nor will she be taken to the Silver City."

Anxiety flared in Chloe's chest, and she subconsciously reached for a gun that wasn't there.

The abduction of Charlie was all too vivid in her mind – the horde of demons kidnapping the infant to raise them as their king.

Or how Lucifer later told them that had sister had gone hunting for a pregnant Linda, all because they believed that since the child was half-angel, it should be raised amongst its kin.

Over my dead body.

"No, no, no!" Berial flailed her hands helplessly. Chloe could perfectly imagine the anger visible on Lucifer's face. "Nothing of that sort. We wouldn't dream of taking her away from you. She's family, after all."

Malachiel put a hand on his sister's shoulder, but turned his attention to the two of them. "We do not mean any harm. We simply came here to pay our respects, and give some gifts."

"Gifts?" Chloe echoed, thrown of balance. That wasn't what she'd been expecting at all. "For…Rory?"

The two angels nodded in unison. A sigh of relief escaped Berial, glad the misunderstanding had been resolved. She flicked her hand, and a huge bag appeared out of thin air.

"And it's not just from us," the scholar went on, diving head-first into the sack. "Nearly everyone we know gave something to us or passed their wishes along."

Lucifer shared a doubtful look with her. He wasn't sure what to think of this, either.

Did all of Lucifer's siblings really care that much about their little niece? What if there was just this unseen pressure from Amenadiel – trying to keep relations in check between everyone?

"I don't think they're here to do harm," Chloe whispered, rising onto her toes to reach his ear. "It's…weird, but that's nothing new when it comes to them."

A muscle flickered in his jaw. He quickly glanced in their direction, then back to Chloe. "I know. Out of all of my family, these two aren't really what I'd call 'dangerous'. They mostly stayed neutral during my…conflict."

A pang went through Chloe's chest. She placed a hand on his chest, right above his heart. How many bad memories were flashing through his mind right now?

Lucifer gazed at her adoringly and covered his hand with hers. The light from the braziers gilded his face in a golden hue – like the Lightbringer he was.

"I'm just glad Rory isn't here tonight, regardless of why they're here." Lifting her hand, he placed a lingering kiss on the back of her hand. Then he frowned. "Does that make me sound too paranoid?"

Chloe shook her head. "No, honey. It doesn't. Not after, well, everything."

A pointed cough sounded behind them. Malachiel looked at them expectantly, glancing between his brother and the bag of gifts.

Chloe's cheeks flushed. Well, this was a bit awkward. How much had they overheard from their conversation?

"By all means, Berial," Lucifer said smoothly, quickly recovering his usual posture. He yanked on a perfectly-placed cufflink. "You said something about presents?"

The smaller angel nodded and dove into the bag, her petite frame disappearing almost completely into the sack.

The first thing she pulled out of it was a huge, leatherbound tome the size of a small dog. The cover was inlaid with gold and mother-of-pearl, and various cut gems twinkled along the spine.

Chloe didn't recognize the script. It was curvy and flowing, and every time she looked at it, it felt like whatever stood there was just beyond the grasp of her mind. Slipping through her fingers like water.

"Is that one of Gadrael's?" Lucifer's curiosity was piqued now, and he took a step forward to get a better look at it. He seemed genuinely baffled. "How did you convince him to give you one of these?"

"He didn't. He gave us this freely when we told him about this Earthly tradition. I believe he's going to give Charlie one of these, as well."

"What is it?" Chloe asked. "And what language is that?"

"It's Enochian," Lucifer said, thumbing through the thick pages. Almost every page was illustrated in vivid colors and excellent eye to detail, but she couldn't quite see what it was. "The language of angels."

Berial looked at her. "Gadrael's task was to draw or paint every one of Father's creatures – from the tiniest bug to the largest beings. His gift was art, and he would collect his paintings in these tomes with a short word about each creature."

"He gave her the one with the dinosaurs?" Lucifer's was truly moved by this gesture. He looked at the gigantic tome in his hand, awed. "But Gadrael liked those the most, especially the pterodactyls."

"Gadrael figured children would be more interested in that than the early bacteria that colonized the primordial seas," Malachiel said. "He thought she would like the pictures. Though I could be mistaken, of course."

Chloe peered at a magnificent drawing of a stegosaurus. It looked so lifelike that it felt like it would jump off the page any second. This had to be worth millions, at least. "And this is…for Rory?"

"Yes." The two angels nodded in unison, glad their gift was well-received. "And when she's older, she can even use this book to practice her Enochian. If she wants to."

"Thank you. Truly." The gift had taken Lucifer aback, and he cradled the tome to his chest as if it were made of glass. "I had never expected this. When she's old enough, I'll let Rory know who this came from."

"Oh, we're not done yet, Luci." Belial dove into the bag again, her tiny frame disappearing almost completely into the sack. "You think we came all the way here for a single present? You know we don't do things lightly."

Chloe exchanged a look with Lucifer. How many presents had they brought?

And would they all fit in the house?

"This is from Idraziel. You know her, she's –"


Two hours and several dozen gifts later, they were all seated on the Italian leather sofa. Night had fallen, and the warm lighting of the penthouse provided a comfortable atmosphere.

They were surrounded by thick tomes, various pieces of masterfully crafted armor and weapons – which she and Lucifer both immediately agreed would be going in the safe until Rory was eighteen.

Amber jewelry, fossils from creatures science hadn't even heard of in the slightest and a manual with various exercises for improving wing muscles and flight stamina (which Chloe had to admit, would actually be helpful).

Stuffed animals so lifelike they even unnerved Lucifer – and perhaps angels weren't so clear about the difference between stuffed toys and taxidermy. Chloe hoped she was sorely mistaken on that matter.

As long as it didn't come to life, she would be fine.

Hopefully.

"This – this is too much." Lucifer looked at a delicate rapier in his hand, another addition to the vault. "I don't how to properly thank you."

Malachiel inclined his head respectfully. "Just accept our gifts. Most of us in the Silver City aren't comfortable with what Michael did – to both of you. Now under Amenadiel's rule, it becomes all the more clear of how lost he was."

"We never meant for you to die, Lucifer." Sorrow clouded Berial's eyes, and Chloe wondered if she'd lost someone during the war. "Or for you, Chloe Decker. An angel shouldn't kill if he just could have incapacitated you."

Chloe's hand drifted subconsciously to the scar on her lower abdomen. The only reason Michael murdered her was because he knew it would devastate Lucifer.

And it did – enough that he gave his life up for hers.

"Thanks," Chloe said, leaning against Lucifer's shoulder. "It's to hear that, well, not everyone feels the same way about what happened."

"That would be regret." Malachiel turned his gaze downward, as if ashamed of the actions of his family. "And shame. It was time that we got a reality-check - especially from a human."

"She does fight magnificently, doesn't she?" Lucifer gazed at her with unveiled adoration. "Ever the Detective, even now that you've gotten a promotion."

Chloe rested her head on his shoulder and squeezed his thigh. She didn't really care that they had an audience. They'd butted in on their free night, after all - not the other way around.

Berial awkwardly cleared her throat and plucked a piece of dust from her long robes. "Perhaps it is time we leave you two alone. Now that we've done what we come here to do."

"May we come back?" Malachiel asked. His tone was insecure for a hulking six-foot celestial soldier. "Maybe even see the infant? Just to look, nothing more."

Lucifer looked to Chloe. His eyes were mild, questioning. He was silently asking her if she agreed to the proposal.

"I don't see why not," Chloe said after a while. They didn't seem too bad, and if anything went wrong, then both Rory's parents were present to protect her. "But don't bring anyone we don't know - or that I don't know."

She wasn't the most paranoid parent on the planet - but from people ranging from Malcolm to Le Mec, she wanted to screen the people she let interact with her daughters.

Just as a precaution.

"Then it's settled," Lucifer said in the same tone as when he struck a bargain. He laced his fingers with hers. "But we will stay in the room with her - which is normal for all babies."

Malachiel nodded, gratitude flashing over his features. He stood up, and Berial followed. "Very well, Lucifer. We thank you for your hospitality to our unexpected visit."

"I didn't have much of a choice, did I now?" Lucifer's voice was amused. "Otherwise you'd have barged in while I was at Lux - or even worse, at university."

Berial regarded her brother with a stunned expression. "You are going to university? I did not know you aspired to be a scholar, Lucifer. I hadn't expected you to pursue a more...academic path."

There was no contempt in the angel's voice, only surprise. But seeing Lucifer's history of debaucherous and downright over-the-top activities, maybe it wasn't such an unreasonable conclusion.

Funny how three years ago his favorite activity was partying at Lux and snorting everything on the table, while now he preferred to sing Rory to sleep.

How times change, Chloe mused with no small amount of fondness.

Lucifer straightened his waistcoat. "I do. Psychology, actually. It's supposed to help me with my job. But that's a story for another time." He graciously extended an arm towards the balcony. "I still have other business to attend to tonight."

Chloe was unsure whether business meant studying some more for the exam, or simply hoisting her onto the desk and making her forget her own name.

Both were fine.

"Oh, you forgot your bag." Chloe made to grab the seemingly bottomless sack that had contained all the gifts, but Berial waved her off.

"There's still one present inside." Amusement sparkled in her eyes. "But you have to open it when we're gone."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me it's one of Tamarael's firecrackers."

"It's not. You'll see!"

The angels walked onto the balcony and summoned their wings. Night had fallen completely by now, but Los Angeles was completely lit up in the dark. Lights twinkled along the skyline.

Lucifer walked over to the balcony door, Chloe right behind him. He circled an arm around her waist, pulling her against his side.

"I'll let you know when you can swing by to visit," he said, and actually sounded like he enjoyed the prospect of it. "Amenadiel will give you a heads-up."

Malachiel put his helmet on. "Don't you think our brother is busy enough already?"

"Eh." Lucifer waved him off with a flick of his hand. "He's still on my arse from time to time, he may as well deliver a message."

Chloe chuckled. Lucifer often complained about Amenadiel keeping an eye on him, but when the angel hadn't been around lately, she had the feeling Lucifer missed him more than he care to admit.

"Bye, Luci," Berial waved, feeling comfortable enough to use his nickname. "We'll be seeing you."

The angels spread their wings - one the color of polished bronze, the other dappled gray like an autumn sky. One, two beats of their mighty wings, and they were gone.

And just like that, the balcony was empty again.

Chloe was the first to break the silence. "Well, that wasn't as bad as I'd imagined."

"No," Lucifer sighed, passing his free hand over his face. "It wasn't. But it did mess with my concentration."

"It's not like you were very focused to begin with."

Using the hand he had on her waist, Lucifer spun her around so she was facing him. Chloe let out a surprised squeak in the process.

"I believe that had something to do with you sitting in my lap, my love." He lowered his head, his nose grazing the shell of her ear. "Perhaps a position we can resume now we're alone again."

Chloe couldn't help her smile. He really didn't give up easily - but she'd be lying if she didn't find that attractive.

Along with a myriad of other features.

Chloe wrapped her arms around and hummed. "Maybe. But that doesn't change the fact that you have a statistics exam in less than two days from now.

"Don't remind me," he groaned against her. He nuzzled his face in her hair. "It's bad enough that I have to spend my bloody free evening on it."

A though hit Chloe. "We still have a present to open."

Lucifer spun them around so that they had a clear vision of the couch. "What do you think it is?"

"Let's find out." Chloe untangled herself from her partner and walked over to the couch. The sack slumped against one of the pillows.

Lucifer poked it, then reared back. "Dear me, it's – it's squishy?"

Chloe snorted at her partner's dramatic reaction. "It's probably another stuffed toy. Maybe a baby blanket or something. It won't bite."

"By all means then, my dearest." Lucifer extended his arm with a grin. "Ladies first."

Rolling her eyes, Chloe sat down and put the sack in her lap. "You just don't want to admit that you're scared."

"I believe the word you're looking for is cautious."

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Lucifer." Chloe pulled the bag open and reached. It was soft and squishy, and she pulled it out. "Look, it's probably nothing –"

But it wasn't a stuffed toy she was holding. Or a blanket.

It was a duck.

An actual duck.

Lucifer leaned in, clearly baffled. "What in Amenadiel's name compelled them to give us that beast?"

The duck quacked in her hands, and Chloe set it down in her lap, too stunned to do anything else. It wiggled its white tail, then settled down.

This evening keeps getting weirder and weirder.

"Does it bite?" Lucifer asked from a safe distance.

"I don't think so." Chloe slowly patted the animal on its head. The duck closed his eyes in pleasure. "Looks pretty domestic to me."

Lucifer scrubbed a hand over his beard, frowning at the duck. "Perhaps they gave her a duck since it wasn't possible to gift a pterodactyl?"

It was then that Chloe noticed the card that had fallen out of the sack. She picked it up and read it.

Dear Lucifer

It has come to our attention that your daughter is quite fond of ducks. If I am to take Amenadiel's word, she even has one named 'Sir Floats-A-Lot'.

From what I hear, they are inseparable. Allow me thus to present a companion for Sir Floats-A-Lot, or a replacement for when he comes to die. I am unfamiliar with the lifespan of Earthly animals.

I hope Aurora enjoys this gift.

Greetings

Malachiel

Lucifer had moved behind the couch and was reading along over her shoulder. "Wait a second, they think Sir Floats-A-Lot is an actual duck instead of a rubber one? The bloody idiots."

"It would seem so. Do they even know what rubber is?"

The duck quacked again, then looked at Lucifer. It was completely white, save for its yellow feet. A blue satin ribbon was tied around its neck.

"Probably not." Lucifer sighed and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know how much you love our free nights, regardless of this pterodactyl knock-off."

Chloe twisted herself around so she faced him. A warm glow spread in her chest. "Honey, this isn't your fault. None of this is. Not the exam, or your siblings visiting." She looked at the duck. "Or this thing here."

"What do we even do with it? I can't keep it here at the penthouse, and I don't think your apartment is equally suited to aquatic birds."

Sir Floats-A-Lot quacked, drawing Chloe's attention to the bird. It seemed docile, and probably was chosen for Rory because of it. "Maybe Ella wants a new pet?"

Lucifer perked up. "You think Miss Lopez would want this creature?"

"I don't know. But if you ask her, I'm sure she'll be inclined to say yes."

"Mmm." Lucifer mused this over and walked to the desk. He took the bottle of Macallan and refilled his mug. His eyes fell on the papers on the desk. "Blast. I'd completely forgotten about the workload."

"You think you can still concentrate a little over the surprise visit?"

"Probably not." Lucifer gestured idly to the duck with his mug. "Especially with this creature parading about the place."

Chloe picked the duck off her lap and placed it on the floor. It seemed confused for a second, then waggled his tail and pattered off towards one of the braziers.

Well, at least it wasn't causing trouble.

Yet.

Walking over to her partner, Chloe rubbed her hands over his arms, causing him to look up. She gave him a gentle smile. "It's okay if this throws you off-balance. You still have the rest of the weekend to study."

"I know." Lucifer sighed deeply and put the mug down, then embrace her. "I just – I don't want to fail. Be a failure." Shadows danced in his eyes. "I don't."

"Honey," Chloe started softly. "You're not a failure. And even if you still fail all of your exams, you're still not a failure. Not to me." She cupped his face, hoping to get her point across. "Never to me."

Light sparked in his eyes, and the typical Lucifer-smile started to spread over his face.

There he is.

Lucifer leaned his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling. "Thank you, my love. I'll try to keep it in mind when the bloody professor attempts to fry my brains."

Chloe chuckled. "You're such a drama queen."

"It's not dramatic if it's the truth."

"Uh-huh," she replied with a raised eyebrow. Then her eye fell on the huge desk behind them. An idea blossomed in her mind. "You know, there are…other things we can do at the desk."

Desire blazed in Lucifer's eyes, and his grip on her tightened. "Oh? Pray tell, my dear."

"Well," Chloe said, trailing her hands up to her shoulders, feeling the muscle rippling beneath her palms. "Why don't we go back to our positions before we started studying together?"

Lucifer didn't even respond.

Instead, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the desk. He sat down with her on the chair with the utmost care – like she was the most precious thing in the world.

Delighted laughter rippled to her, and when his lips met her, the last thing on Chloe's mind was a special duck from Heaven.

She had her own winged being to look after.