A/N: Once more, this story is NOT abandoned. I just update when I have time and inspiration. If I ever abandon the story, I will update the summary to reflect the change, but I don't ever see that happening. I am committed to finishing the story on my own terms and timeline. Thank you all for sticking with me and your patience. Please enjoy XOXOX
Devil in the Details
Lucifer did not joke about his Thai food.
Izzy wondered if he was being funny, calling back to their first meeting when he mentioned a murder at a pad Thai place. But no, he took her to this hole in the wall looking place with dingy lighting and squeaky leather booths. The whole place smelled like oil and vinegar. But Lucifer swore it had a three point five star rating on Yelp - the best rating for authentic cuisine - and so Izzy followed his lead.
The hostess - and also the only waitress - was beautiful and leggy, in a tight black outfit that showed off far too much skin on her top half. She took a liking to Lucifer immediately, seating him first and never leaving his side. Izzy had never seen a smile so sweet or such brazenly batted lashes.
Izzy fought to roll her eyes when the waitress leaned down close, her chest practically eye level as she took their drink order. She even looked back to make sure Lucifer was watching her walk into the kitchen, disappointed when his eyes remained steadfast on the menu.
"She's pretty."
"Was she? I didn't notice."
"And here I thought you didn't lie."
"I beg your pardon!" Lucifer gasped, only partially joking. "I may be many obscene things, but a liar is not one."
"Her boobs were half way out of her shirt and you're telling me you didn't notice?"
"And why would I? I'm with you," he said, simple as that. "Now, please sit down and get comfortable. The chef here makes a delicious Tom Kha Kai, and he owes me a favor."
Izzy was dumb struck.
It was one thing to have a baby with the Devil, to be tied to him in one inextricable way. She didn't expect any form of commitment or continuing support. Just the fact that he had graciously allowed him into his life and penthouse was more than she expected.
But this? To be the sole focus of his attention to the point he ignored all other temptation? Izzy didn't think it was possible, and she surely didn't know how to process that information.
"So, what purchases have you been racking up on my AmEx?" he asked, perusing the menu the way that someone who knows exactly what they want looks over things: with very little effort.
"Nothing much. I was hoping we could go shopping in person."
He arched a brow. "You know how dangerous that would be."
"I know, but I need to see things before I commit to them. Besides, I thought it would be good for us to do something like that together."
He put his menu down altogether, pretense abandoned. "You...want me to be involved in the kind of diapers our child wears?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
"I just assumed that our previous understanding would, well, stand." He looked flustered, placing both hands on the table in a show of surrender. "I am not good with children, Miss Lightwood, my own included."
"I think you're being too hard on yourself," she said, unwilling to take that at face value. Not after all she'd seen him do to protect the people he cared about. "You changed your mind about me, after all."
"Hmmm."
He didn't seem convinced, and now wasn't the time to push.
"Just think about it."
"Fine, I will think about it. No promises, though. You know how I hate to lie."
"I would never make you go back on your word." And she meant that. She respected his honesty, no matter how unpleasant or unexpected. "Which reminds me, thank you."
"Whatever for?"
"For caring about me and giving me a place to stay. I know how hard it must be for you to upend your life like this."
"Please don't thank me for doing the bare minimum." That borderline uncomfortable look was back, and she wondered how often people bothered to thank him for things instead of blaming him for his wrongs. "All of this is my fault. Your life would be normal, slaying demons and terrorizing my nephew's lot if not for me."
"Lilith would also be terrorizing the entire human world," she pointed out. "You stopped her, not us."
"Putting Lilith in her place was a pleasure, not a chore," he said with a laugh that sounded like a scoff. "It's also bought me a bit of power over some of your more irritating Nephilim. So, perhaps I should be thanking you and your brother for being unable to keep you noses out of places they don't belong."
"Rude," Izzy said with a laugh. "But fair. Clary has learned her lesson on messing with the powers that be, if that means anything. She's way ahead of me on that front."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"I'm still learning mine."
The tension between them grew thick. Neither knew what to say. It wasn't like Izzy had meant to say that, she just couldn't help it. Looking into Lucifer's deep, dark eyes brought out something in her. Not like when he compelled his victims to voice their deepest desires, not nearly as sinister. She just felt vulnerable around him. Trusted him.
What a hall of a thing to say about the Devil.
They were spared from any more awkwardness by the waitress. She reappeared like a nightmare, all pouted lips and flouncy movements as she deposited a kettle of hot tea in the middle of the table. She lingered close to Lucifer, of course, her pen poised and eager to write down his every whim.
"Are you ready to order?"
"Yes, I think I'll have the - "
That's when Izzy lost track of conversation, his words devolving into sounds and rhythms she could not parse. The waitress, eyes wide but impressed, shook off her shock to obediently write down their order. Or, at least Izzy hoped he was ordering them food and not some kind of strange service from their back room. This seemed like the kind of place that had a side hustle the law would rather not know about.
The waitress left and Izzy stared, dumbfounded.
"What did you say?"
"Oh, I ordered us a few of their popular dishes," Lucifer said, busying himself with pouring the tea. It was fragrant and strong, and Izzy felt warm and cozy already.
"I didn't know you spoke Thai."
"I can speak every language. Better for getting the job done," he said, so blasé as he folded his hands over his lap. "How else can you seduce people into giving up their deepest desires if you cannot communicate?"
Plenty of ways, Izzy thought. There were looks and nonverbal cues, like all the ones the waitress gave but Lucifer ignored. Like the penetrating stare he fixed Izzy with now, pinning her the spot.
There was that vulnerable feeling again, itching under her skin. It made her itch, made her squirm in her seat.
"We should start making a list," she deviated, hoping to rescue herself with something tamer.
"A list?"
"Of baby names." Maybe it was jumping the gun or moving too quick, but she had lost so much time in Aldertree's prison. The baby would arrive in a matter of months, and she was so far behind the curve. "I never expected to have children this young, so I haven't thought about it."
Lucifer's face twisted in thought, but not in a good way. More he was having unpleasant thoughts. "So long as the name doesn't end in -iel or -ael I really could not care less."
"So if I wanted to name the baby something like Angel or Serenity - ?"
"No. Absolutely not. Those are stripper names."
"Uh-huh..." Izzy smirked into her tea. She thought as much. "So much for not caring."
Realization dawned on Lucifer's face. It was quite a beautiful thing to behold.
He leaned in closer, conspiratorially. "Miss Lightwood, are you rage-baiting me?"
"Is it working?"
A smile worked its was across his lips. "You know, you act far more devilish than angelic. Perhaps I am rubbing off on you after all."
Lucifer, you have nothing to do with it, Izzy thought as she sipped her tea, silent.
... - ...
It was nearly six by the time they made it back to the penthouse.
Despite the early hour, Izzy was ready to shower and go to bed. Everything ached from carrying around so much extra weight, and the pad Thai had her full and sleepy. Lucifer wasn't kidding. The food really was amazing.
Just as she was about to head to the bathroom, a portal sparked up in the living room.
A flash of bright light and then there was a very familiar redhead standing right in front of her.
"Izzy!"
"Clary?"
All the sudden Izzy was tackled into a hug, nearly knocking her off balance.
"I've missed you!"
"Oh, it's Nephilim," Lucifer said with a sigh, making a beeline for the bar and pouring himself a stiff drink. "And here I thought we would have a relaxing evening in."
"You invited us to come over whenever we wanted," Clary pointed out.
"Did I?" Lucifer asked, alarmed. As if he didn't remember offering on the balcony the night he took Izzy away. "If we are going to have unexpected visitors at all hours of the day and night, remind me to tell Magnus to rescind the invitation."
"What's going on?" Izzy asked Clary, ignoring Lucifer's snark. "It's only been a few days."
She led Clary over to the couch, sitting down on the butter-soft leather. Clary kept close, tucking her legs up so she sat cross-legged, her shoes scuffing the cushion. Lucifer let out a hiss and muttered something about genuine Italian upholstery, but once more, Izzy ignored him.
"So much, Iz. No offense to your mother, but she's being a total bitch."
"That sounds like Maryse," Izzy muttered. She expected this, but it was still disappointing. "She's mad you broke the rules now, but I'm sure she'll let up after a few days."
"It's not that. I swear she has it out for me. After the Clave let me off for using the Wish, she's made it her personal mission to make my life Hell. And Alec's."
"Alec?"
"He defied Maryse and Robert when he went after you. And someone let it slip that you're on the West Coast and not speaking to them. They're taking their frustration out on Alec."
This wasn't fair. Alec was so good all the time. He always did the right thing. And yet he was always being punished for things that weren't his fault. He'd take it like a good son and oldest child, but how much more did he have to suffer at the hands of their parents? How much was enough?
"How is he?"
"Honestly, not good. We could all be doing better." Clary looked tired and miserable, her eyes pleading. "Just...when are you coming home, Iz?"
Izzy's heart broke. She wished she could say 'right now, lead the way!' but that would be a cruel lie. Even though Lucifer and Magnus had both been more than gracious, she missed her rock hard Institute bed and sharing a wall with her siblings. She missed hours of sparring and inventorying weapons. She missed the smell of leather and the energy of magic. She missed her home.
"You know I have to stay here until the baby's born for both our safety."
"I know..."
It was a long shot, and Clary knew it. Izzy loved her for asking though. It satisfied the irrational, emotional part of her brain that told her no one would miss her while she was gone. That's they'd move on with life and forget about her, filling the her-shaped holes in their lives with other people and places and experiences.
"You haven't mentioned Jace."
"Jace is healing. He's keeping his distance from everyone, too. Guilt is eating him up. Some days he can't even look me in the eye, won't talk to Alec, won't even eat." Clary was glossing over the dirty details, but Izzy was grateful for it. If she knew the extent to which both of her brothers suffered, she'd be on her knees begging to come back damn the consequences. "Maryse is treating him like a pariah. She doesn't trust him after the whole Owl thing, even after the Silent Brothers examined him and cleared him for active duty."
"That's not his fault!"
"I know, and Alec's pissed about it," Clary said, anger reddening her cheeks. "He's mad about a lot, and rightly so. Maryse is trying to destroy all the work he put into making amends with the Downworld."
"And after all she said about turning over a new leaf..." Izzy said, shaking her head in shame. "It was all a lie, and I fell for it. I hurt so many people because I trusted her. If we hadn't had that dinner at the Hunter's Moon..."
"Hey, you couldn't have known. Heidi would have found you somewhere else. She still would have gone up in smoke and there still would have been an investigation. Maryse turning you in or not, some things are unavoidable."
"The annoying red head is right," Lucifer said. Izzy thought he'd gone to bed, but he was standing in the doorway in his dressing robe. "When Dad sets a plan into motion, the only thing we can do is hang on for the ride and hope we have the tools to outsmart the bastard. You have the best tools of all: family and friends who were willing to walk through fire to save you."
"But now you're all suffering because of it."
The fires were put out and the source extinguished, and yet her friends and family were still getting burned. All because of her while she lived in this ivory tower far from the fallout of her choices. It wasn't fair.
"And we'd do it again, Iz," Clary said, taking Izzy's hand and holding on tight. "Don't you get it? We love you."
Three little words that had the power to change her life. Izzy felt her eyes get hot and wet, her emotions so easily triggered. It was one thing to know deep down somewhere that she was loved, but it was another to hear it aloud. Shadowhunters were never very vocal about such things. They were a stoic breed, keeping everything locked up tight.
When was the last time her mom had said those words and meant them with no strings attached? Her father? Izzy didn't want to be that kind of parent, the type that withheld love and made their child question it every time something rotten happened.
"I have exciting news," Izzy said once the tears cleared from her throat and eyes. "The baby is healthy. And it's a girl."
"A girl?" Clary asked with wonder and joy. She felt like crying all over again. "Oh, Iz, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!"
Izzy was pulled into a crushing hug, pressed tightly against Clary's chest. She melted into it, letting herself be held. Izzy wasn't much of a tactile person, but she needed that touch now more than ever. To ground her. To assure her. To let her know that everything was going to be okay.
"Thank you."
Clary pulled away, smiling like a loon.
"Alec and Magnus are going to freak!" she said, vibrating with happiness. "This is exactly the news we all needed."
Izzy smiled back, relieved.
Finally, she had done something right.