Chloe's ankle heals after only three days, mostly by sheer force of will. She's not sure she can stand another day stuck at a desk doing paperwork. The office, at least, isn't so terrible as it might have once been - between the major arms bust and solving a number of recent high profile murders, she seems to have won back a little respect from her supervisors, if not from all of her coworkers. But Detective Warren remains unfailingly professional with her, despite their awkward date, and Dan seems to be putting off arguing with her about Lucifer until her leg heals, so mostly things are pretty quiet. Boring, actually. Mind-numbingly so. And she's left with way too much time to think about things she'd really rather not just yet (like the fact that she just kissed Lucifer). After just a few days she's half ready to hit the streets on crutches if she has to. Luckily, the doctor gives her the all clear to go back into the field before she's forced to take such drastic measures. And not a moment too soon. She immediately texts Lucifer the good news.
Lucifer responds rather cryptically an address and a time, no other explanation. Her attempts to call him are met with a busy signal. But regardless, she already knows she'll be at that address at 8 pm tonight. Trixie is sleeping over with a friend, so nothing but her physical therapy regimen awaits her at home. And at this point she doesn't even care what sort of crazy scheme Lucifer has in mind, if it means getting back to real police work.
The address turns out to be an upscale restaurant, one of those places that never advertises but people still seem to know about it anyway. Important people, or rich ones at least. Not people like her. Chloe is left wondering just who is involved in this case, and how it is that Lucifer seems to know everyone in this town.
She barely makes it through the doors before realizing she's woefully underdressed for this meeting. Usually her badge is enough to get her in wherever she needs to be, but right now the hostess is looking at her jeans and leather jacket like she might as well be wearing pink sweatpants with something vaguely sexual written across the ass. She may actually need to flash her badge or risk getting kicked out. But when she mentions to the hostess that she's here for a meeting with Lucifer Morningstar, suddenly she's being led back to the dining room.
It's not hard to pick out Lucifer, even though he's sitting in a rather secluded corner. His height and general presence make him easy to find in any crowd, and she's grown accustomed to seeking him out lately. It's also not hard to miss the fact that no one is sitting with him, and there are only two place settings at the table.
"Detective, you made it!" His smile is even brighter than she remembers it, and a fair amount of surprise has also made its way into his expression. She feels a small twinge of guilt that Lucifer had reason to doubt her arrival, and resolves to be a little nicer to him tonight. Mostly.
"Yes, and what exactly am I doing here?" In line with her new resolve she doesn't even fight him when he immediately jumps up to help her with her chair. She's a little tired of people worrying over her injury but Lucifer seems intent on being chivalrous, so she allows it just this once.
"We're here to celebrate your recovery of course!" If anything his smile has grown even wider as he sits back down across from her. The candlelight flickering between them makes the expression appear almost wild.
"So we're not here to meet someone involved with a case?" She questions, still a little confused at to why they're here, of all places.
"Heavens, no, what would make you think that?" He actually looks affronted at the very suggestion.
"Well isn't that why you usually invite me somewhere? It's not like you to make social calls when there isn't a case." It's not an accusation, though it sort of feels like one. Chloe tries not to think about their one non-case related phone call, and is surprised that Lucifer doesn't bring it up either. He doesn't even give her some knowing leer. He simply looks wistfully back at her, obviously struck by the truth behind her words.
"Then tonight we must remedy that. And here's to many more 'social calls' in the future." He lifts an empty wine glass towards her. Feeling a bit ridiculous but not wanting to ruin the moment she does the same with her own glass. Thankfully their waiter barely glances at their odd behavior as he brings them their menus, before leaving them in peace to look it over. Chloe is happy for the distraction, their previous line of conversation having taken an unexpected turn. She needed time to regroup. However, the menu in front of her offers no help.
"Lucifer, this thing doesn't even have prices on it."
"That's because this is my treat." He beams back, shaking off his earlier mood.
"Wait, does yours have prices on it? Let me see." She reaches across the table but Lucifer holds the menu just out of reach. If they were somewhere a little less fancy she's certain she would have made a grab for it, whatever the risk to her dignity.
"I want you to select whatever you most desire, not whatever is the least expensive." Lucifer calmly retorts, still holding his menu out of grabbing range.
"What makes you think I'd pick the least expensive thing?" She huffs, bringing her arms back in front of her.
"You forget, Detective, that I have seen how you eat. And I also know you aren't the type to order something expensive just because someone else is paying."
"Yeah, about that…" She wants to argue that she can still pay her own way, celebratory dinner or not, but Lucifer cuts her off.
"Detective, I am paying because I was the one who invited you here. When you do the asking, you may pay."
"What makes you think I'll offer?" Chloe can't resist poking holes in his logic.
"Your love of all things fair and just, of course." Damn, he knows her all too well. But she still can't help questioning this whole idea.
"And you'll actually let me pay for you?"
"Of course, I'm not some Neanderthal. Is that really what you think of me?" Lucifer brings his hand up to his heart in mock offense, overdramatic as always, but the question still hangs between them.
"No, it's just Dan never really wanted to let anyone else…nevermind." She wants to tell Lucifer she doesn't really think he's some overbearing jerk, but it's coming out all wrong, and revealing far too much about her past relationship instead.
"I believe you will find I have very little in common with Detective Douche." It seems like Lucifer understands her rambling at least, if he's back to mocking her ex.
Some of the tension seems to ease between them after this. Chloe somehow manages not to protest when Lucifer orders an obviously expensive bottle of wine to share with her, even as she feels guilty for enjoying it. Lucifer, on the other hand, seems to delight in her enjoyment. It's actually kind of adorable. She finds she isn't even annoyed when he starts suggesting dishes to her, which is something she hates with most guys. But Lucifer isn't showing off, for once. He seems like he honestly wants her to have a nice time. And she is. And that's when she realizes.
"…Is this a date?"
Lucifer seems startled by the question, but he answers quickly enough. "Of course. Isn't this what you humans do?"
He sounds simultaneously so matter of fact, and so uncertain about that whole thing, that it's hard not to laugh.
"Well, usually you let the other person know that it's a date."
"Would you have come, if you had known?" She hadn't expected that. Lucifer was always honest with her, but he was very rarely so open.
"Maybe. I certainly would have dressed more appropriately if had known." It's a honest answer at least, even if she tries to bring back the lighthearted mood from earlier. Lucifer seems to happy enough to go along with it.
"Nonsense, Detective, you look ravishing." She's still wearing her work clothes but Lucifer looks at her as though he means it. And she suddenly doesn't care that she's wearing the wrong outfit or that Lucifer practically tricked her to get her here, she's glad that she came.
"I feel like we're doing this backwards," she laughs, struck with all that has already happened between them. "Usually the first date comes, well, first."
"What can I say? We're rebels. But tell me, since you seem to be the expert here - what else do these first dates usually entail? Besides the prior knowledge of both parties, of course?"
Chloe can't tell whether he's just teasing or honestly asking her what to do, so she plays it safe with her response. "Well usually you try to get to know the other person, ask them questions, that kind of thing."
"Sounds intriguing. Shall I start or would you prefer to do the honors?"
"I'll start!" She answers quickly, worried that he'll start with something like 'what color panties are you wearing right now?'. Or 'knickers', whatever. She'd prefer to set the tone for this little Q&A herself. She considers asking him some of the questions he's been dodging, but realizes that she would have to answer his personal questions as well. Probably best to stick to the traditional first date questions, they'd probably amuse Lucifer anyway.
"Alright, what's your favorite color?"
"Seriously, Detective?"
"Ok, you're right, that was terrible. How about, what's your favorite movie?"
"Hot Tub High School." He grins as Chloe rolls her eyes.
"Come on, this doesn't work if you don't give real answers."
"That is a real answer, or as real as any other. I don't have a favorite, though I suppose if I had to choose, maybe The Maltese Falcon or Casablanca or The Big Sleep, something in the Bogart oeuvre."
"Bergman or Bacall?"
"Bacall, of course. Always did love a good femme fatale. Now your turn, same question."
"I don't really have a favorite either, but maybe Althea." She shrugs.
"The one with the cheesy aliens that turned out to be mutant humans?" Lucifer is clearly surprised at her response, and Chloe remembers how much she enjoys shocking him. She's actually kind of glad that she didn't just say some classic film instead, even if it means telling him the whole story.
"It's the first movie of my Mom's I actually got to watch. The rest weren't exactly appropriate for a kid. So I'd just watch that one over and over on VHS whenever she was off filming. It was a little like having her home." The whole point of asking generic date questions was to keep from revealing too much about herself, and here she's done it on her own. Maybe it's not so bad, though.
"I'm more of a Demon Town fan myself, though I suppose that's not one to show your child. Was your mother not around much when you were young?"
"You've already asked your question, now it's my turn." She hopes Lucifer will take the hint and drop the subject. Back to safer topics. "Ok, do you have any hobbies?
"Hobbies?" The word seems almost distasteful to him.
"I mean what do you like to do when you're not running a nightclub or being a police consultant."
He grins lecherously in response, to which Chloe rolls her eyes.
"Right, I clearly walked right into that…"
"I read." He interrupts.
"You what?"
"I read, whenever I can find the time. That's what I do when I'm not working."
"What do you read?" She doesn't know why she is surprised by his answer. It's not like Lucifer isn't annoyingly clever - it's just she never imagined him as the type to spend a quiet evening curled up with a book. "Wait, let me guess - Dante's Inferno, Dr. Faustus?"
"While I am a fan of both, I prefer Kafka. Now there was a man who understood torment." And it is so wrong the way Lucifer's voice rolls over the word 'torment'. "How about you, Detective? Or are you more a fan of Sherlock Holmes."
"Honestly I can't remember the last time I read something that didn't involve talking animals or a ballerina-chemist-ninja. Having a seven-year-old also means spending your free time doing things a seven-year-old would want to do. I'm not sure she'd be a big Kafka fan."
"Only one way to find out really."
The easy banter continues throughout dinner, in between rounds of Lucifer attempting to feed Chloe 'delectable' bites of 'rosemary fig confit with brie' or 'lamb with port demi-glace'. She's willing to try a few bites from his plate, but stops short of letting him feed them to her. Chloe has always hated those couples, and she and Lucifer aren't even a couple yet. For some reason the addition of 'yet' to that statement doesn't freak her out as much as it might have once.
And it's nice, this odd little slice of normalcy in her relationship with Lucifer. Just having a conservation about normal things like food or whether baseball can even be considered a sport, instead of the grim topics that haunt their daily lives. And it's even better not to be arguing, for once. Well, not arguing with any real intent or anger behind it. She imagines hell will freeze over long before she and Lucifer ever stop disagreeing on some things. But it wouldn't be half so fun if they did. And if Lucifer asked her now, whether or not she would have come here if she had known it was it date, she would be able to answer without a single hesitation.
His next question, however, makes her pause.
"Well, Detective, the night is still young - shall we have dessert back at mine?" Chloe wants to laugh at Lucifer's current expression - what the movie Tangled (another of Trixie's favorites) would have referred to as 'the smolder'. But it is definitely working, as much as it pains her to admit it.
And it's so tempting, but it's also way too soon. She's still not sure what this is between them, and she hasn't completely recovered from his little disappearing act from before. She doesn't want to wake up tomorrow and find him gone again, not after everything else.
"Lucifer…" She starts, not entirely sure what she means to say. But Lucifer seems to catch on that it's not going to be a yes.
"Say no more, Detective. Though would you be agree to share a drink with me? Or perhaps an actual dessert? I find I'm unwilling to have our pleasant evening come to an end so soon."
"And would these drinks be at your place?" She's pretty sure the combination of alcohol and being alone with Lucifer will lead to some very bad decisions. Or very good ones, for the moment at least.
"Or on the roof, if you'd prefer. Unless you'd rather be somewhere more public?"
And as much as she doesn't entirely trust herself alone with Lucifer, drinks on the roof sounds far preferable to drinks in some noisy bar. Chloe is also a little charmed by the fact that Lucifer is working so hard to spend more time with her. It's this more than anything that makes her agree.
Lucifer smiles as he quickly pays the check, refusing to even let her peek at the total. It's probably better that she doesn't know, anyway. But she insists on driving herself over to Lucifer's building, even if means having to find parking. Lucifer, of course, just tosses his keys to the valet, so he's already set up by the time she reaches the roof.
"Champagne and strawberries, really?"
"What were you expecting, Detective, homemade apple pie? A milkshake with two straws?"
"Or maybe devil's foodcake." It seems Lucifer's terrible sense of humor is contagious.
"Well you did turn down my earlier offer to have the devil for dessert." He leers back.
"So do you seriously just have champagne and strawberries on hand or did you plan this?" She tries not to think about who else he might have had them for, whether this is just something he does with the women he brings up here.
"I have a number of alcoholic beverages 'on hand' as you say, and quite the variety of fruits as well. Offering you an apple seemed a little too cliche, and I did promise you dessert after all." His voice is doing that thing again, and she does her best to ignore the effect it's having on her.
"And a rooftop. You've certainly delivered on that as well." She can't help the little bit of awe that creeps into her voice. L.A. isn't the most beautiful city in the world, but the view from up here is pretty spectacular. All of the ugly parts sort of fade into twinkling blackness below her. Chloe thinks about what the sunset must look like coming through the buildings, all reds and golds over the water. She can't imagine ever growing tired of that sight. But she realizes she's getting a little too caught up in imagining future visits, and turns back towards the roof and Lucifer.
"I can't believe you have a pool up here."
"Would you care to go for a swim?" He offers.
"I didn't exactly bring my swimsuit with me. And before you even ask, I'm not about to wear anything some poor girl left here." Borrowing a dress is one thing, this would be just…unhygienic.
"I wasn't about to suggest you wearing anything at all." The leer is back.
"Lucifer…"
"Kidding, Detective!" He obviously wasn't. "I wouldn't dream of actually suggesting we go skinny dipping." He would. "But whatever's you've got on under there is certainly enough to cover all the fun parts. Unless, of course, it isn't…" For a moment Chloe is a little bit worried that Lucifer actually has some sort of X-ray vision with the way it feels like he's looking right through her clothing. She resists the urge to cover herself.
"What, like go swimming in our underwear? Are we teenagers now?"
"Of course not, we all know that teenage you would at least go topless." Chloe groans at the reminder. He's eyebrows actually waggled at that, and she refuses to be the one embarrassed here. "Come on, Chloe, where's that rebellious spirit?"
It's not the challenge in his voice that gets her, though that would have been bad enough. No, instead it's simple jealousy. Of her younger self, no less. For being so carefree, so reckless. And for having made such a lasting impression on this man. So she downs an entire glass of champagne, doing her best not to wince as some of the bubbles make their way up to her nose, before stripping off her jacket and boots.
She's immediately gratified by the shock on Lucifer's face, but it's not long before he's leaning back to enjoy the show. Chloe doesn't even try to make it sexy, she just wants to get her jeans off before she loses her courage. Her underwear is definitely staying on though - not for modesty's sake, but to keep her from making any other rash decisions. She's never been so thankful to be wearing a matching set, even if they were otherwise entirely unremarkable.
"Loving the black, it suits you. My dark angel." Chloe shivers at the obvious hunger in his expression, but she meets his gaze head-on. "Though I should inform you that my favorite color is actually red."
"Are you going to join me or not?" She challenges back, ignoring his remark. She's not about to be the only one standing here half naked.
"Of course, Detective." And then he's shrugging out of his jacket, slowly unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt. Lucifer definitely makes a show of it, and Chloe can't help but watch. But she keeps her arms crossed defiantly in front of her - half in keeping with her challenge and half to prevent herself from reaching out to touch every inch of new revealed skin. His chest is just as gorgeous as she remembers, all sleek muscles and warm skin. He toes off his shoes before reaching for his belt, and her breathing actually stops for a moment as he begins lowering the zipper. She realizes she has no idea if he's even wearing anything beneath his trousers, or if he just goes around commando 24/7. She's equally unsure what that sort of knowledge would do to her daily interactions with him. She's doesn't know if she's relieved or disappointed that Lucifer is apparently a boxer-briefs man.
"I thought you preferred red?" She tosses back.
"Only on you," he smirks, "it doesn't really suit my coloring." They're well matched in black, though she imagines Lucifer's probably weren't purchased as part of a 3 for $10 deal. Her own are purely functional, even if Lucifer is looking at her as though she's wearing the sexiest possible thing. For several long moments they just look at one another, their breath the only thing filling the space between them. Lucifer moves first, reaching out towards her. Chloe is already half dizzy with anticipation, and this is exactly what she meant to avoid tonight. So she does the only reasonable thing she can think to do.
If Lucifer is surprised at the way she suddenly darts away to jump in the pool, she misses it entirely. By the time she resurfaces, he's simply looking down at her with amusement. The cool shock of the water has brought back to her senses, but it hasn't completely washed away the reckless feeling. So she splashes him.
Whatever surprise she may have missed before quickly passes over Lucifer's face again before he's jumping in with her, immediately seeking revenge. But Lucifer doesn't have a seven-year-old daughter, and is thus wholly unprepared for a full scale splash fight. He only eventually succeeds in getting the upper hand by diving under a fresh wave to grab at her waist. He easily lifts her out of the water, preventing her from any further splashing.
"Most people would call that cheating." She accuses as she tries to wiggle loose from his iron grip on her waist.
"I think most people would also call it winning." A few more attempts are made to free herself before she finally gives in.
"Truce?"
"What's in it for me?" She can feel his chuckle reverberating through his chest at her back.
"You can let me go without fear of getting splashed?"
"Why would I want to let you go now that I've finally caught you?" Chloe is suddenly very aware of her position, her entire back pressed against Lucifer's front. The other meaning of his words is also not lost on her.
"How about for a kiss?" She's still feeling bold and a little reckless, and if she's honest with herself she's actually been wanting to kiss him since she got here. Or possibly even since dinner. Maybe even longer.
"A tempting offer, but I don't have to let you go for that."
"Sure you do, I…"
And the detective has no idea how it's happened but without ever once letting go of her, Lucifer has managed to spin her around to face him. Her arms are thrown around his shoulders, and she's looking straight into his cheshire grin. Every part of her that's not pressed against Lucifer's warmth feels its absence in the cool water, and she can't help shivering at the contrast.
"I believe I was promised a kiss?" It would be so easy to let herself get lost in those dark eyes and low voice, but she can't resist teasing him, even is she's already feeling more than a little desperate herself.
"I'm not sure you deserve one." He did cheat at their game, after all.
"What if were to ask nicely?" A tempting proposition, and she's curious just what entails him asking nicely. If nothing else she's pretty sure she'll enjoy it.
"Then maybe."
"Please."
OK, she wasn't expecting that. Chloe doesn't think she's ever heard the man actually say please even once. She looks back at Lucifer, whose grin has faded into something more like a hopeful smile - one of those rare, honest smiles that he never seems to show to anyone else. The expression is oddly vulnerable, and it makes her feel suddenly protective of him. So she takes pity on them both, and closes the distance between them.
Lucifer's lips are soft and cool, and they both taste a little of chlorine, but it's perfect. He kisses as though they have all the time in the world, as if he really never plans to let her go. His hands haven't moved once from where they are locked around her back, and her legs wrap around his waist automatically when he draws them even closer together. It leaves her feeling light headed from more than just the champagne, and she really does feel a bit like a carefree teenager, sneaking off to make out with her boyfriend in a pool. And so she lets herself get lost in his kiss, and the feel of him pressed up against her. His lips trail along her jaw to rediscover the sensitive skin behind her ear, and Chloe can't help the little moan that escapes. Those same lips abandon their quarry for a moment to whisper in her ear.
"Have you reconsidered my offer then?"
"Not on a first date." It's a weak response even to her own mind, but she can barely remember the reasons for her earlier refusal right now.
"Ah yes, the third date rule." What on earth is he even talking about…oh. Oh! "Well, I'm game for it. I think we could certainly fit in another date or two before sunrise, though perhaps we might count this as our second?"
Chloe gives him a warning look in response. It's devoid of its usual force, but it still prompts Lucifer to raise his hands in surrender. The effect of her glare is further lost when Chloe remains firmly attached to him, legs and arms still wrapped around his frame. She loosens her hold slightly to create some space between them, though she's already regretting the loss of his warmth.
"But kissing's allowed on first dates, isn't it?" Lucifer's back to grinning at her, but Chloe hasn't failed to notice that this is at least the third question he's asked her about dating.
"Lucifer, how many dates have you actually been on?"
"Including this one?" Chloe realizes that she hasn't actually called this a date to him yet. She nods carefully.
"Then I have been on one." He announces earnestly, boyish grin firmly in place. It's annoyingly endearing as always.
"How have you never been on a date before this?" It's sort of surreal to have this conversation while floating around his pool in their underwear.
"I never needed to before." And he's not bragging. She knows it's the truth - has watched countless women and men throw themselves at Lucifer. It's not like he even needed to seduce them, she's never seen him put in this level of effort with anyone.
"Why me?" That's the real question. The one she's been asking herself this entire time, holding Lucifer at arm's length until she could figure out the answer.
"Because it's you."
It's not the answer she expected. Really it should feel like a cop out answer, but Lucifer's sincerity bleeds straight through into his words. Something tightens almost painfully within her chest as Lucifer presses on.
"There's something about you. I can't even figure it out myself." She thinks of the way he looks at her as though she's a complete mystery to him sometimes. "But I want to. You're certainly worth the effort, Chloe Decker."
They're both nearly thrown back into the water with the force of her kiss. She pours everything she's feeling right now into this, everything she can't put into words. His arms tighten around her once again, letting her know that he understands.
The kiss stretches out for long minutes, becoming increasingly heated. Chloe bites at Lucifer's lower lip before soothing it with her tongue, earning a rumbling groan in response. He, in turn, presses the evidence of his growing enjoyment against her center, drawing a gasp from her. Lucifer quickly takes advantage of her parted lips to sweep his tongue against her own. One of his hands reaches up to tangle through wet hair, drawing her deeper into the kiss as she explores the searing heat of his mouth. His other hand goes to tug her straps down her shoulders, kissing down the line of her throat until his lips are brushing the tops of her breasts. He's practically lifting her out of the water now, and Chloe moans at the simultaneous display of strength and delicacy. It's a surprisingly attractive combination, and she drags him back up to meet his mouth once more. Her own hands tug at the damp strands of his hair, and she can't resist bringing their hips to meet again. She can feel the heat of him even through the layers that separate them, and unconsciously she shifts against him, drawing out another groan from the man beneath her. She knows this is going way too fast, but she can't seem to stop herself. When Lucifer's hand starts tugging at the clasp of her bra, she actually finds herself reaching back to help him.
The sound of a throat clearing brings them swiftly back to reality. Chloe is facing the wrong direction, and awkwardly turns to see the source of their interruption.
"Maze, what are you doing here?" Lucifer has never sounded so unhappy to see his assistant before.
"Phone call." Is all she says, clearly unintimidated by his mood.
"Can't they leave a message?" Lucifer signals towards Chloe. Who is currently trying to decide if she's upset or thankful for the interruption.
"They said it was important." Mazikeen holds her ground, despite looking completely uninterested in the entire situation. Chloe begins to awkwardly untangle herself from Lucifer's embrace, a little embarrassed to be caught like this.
"Go ahead and take it, I should probably get going anyway." Before she does anything else she might regret in the morning.
"But Detective…" His voice edges on pleading, even with Mazikeen standing right there.
"It's getting pretty late and I still need to drive home. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She does her best to adopt a casual tone, like it's no big deal that she almost had sex with Lucifer in his pool before his assistant interrupted them. She rushes out past the other woman, gathering up her clothes as she can. Putting them back on over wet underwear will be a miserable experience, but not nearly as awkward as sticking around right now. Lucifer doesn't try to follow her out, but she doesn't miss his look of dismay as she leaves.