Chapter Text
Something moved in the shadows of her house, Chloe turned expectantly. “Lucifer?” But there was nothing. Just the corners of her eyes playing tricks to her. Those days she couldn’t be in her house for five minutes without having the feeling that she saw him. Every shadow, every black sock on the ground, every remotely dark thing turned into him when she was not looking. Yet when she turned to them, it was not and she was disappointed every single time. If she tried to resist the urge, it became the only thing she could think of. What if it was him this time? What if he’d turn back and not come to see her if she did not looked at him now? Eventually she checked, she always looked out for him.
If she was being honest with herself she really missed him and she pined for his little feline frame and his purring that made her feel warm on the inside. How long has it been since she last saw his weird red eyes? Chloe knew that it hadn’t been that long and yet he used to come so much more. Of course Chloe knew the reason why he didn’t anymore. Marcus. She had drove Lucifer away because of him. And the more time she didn’t see him, the more time she was afraid that she might have drove Lucifer too far for him to come back.
She would never tell anyone that but sometimes when Marcus showed up at her place at night her first thought was Oh no, that means Lucifer is not coming tonight . How could she have more desire to spend the evening with her cat friend, who happened to have the same name as her … other friend , that with her soon-to-be husband. Chloe accidentally cringed. She couldn’t. She had no right to. And yet if she had been given the choice … Chloe sighted. She could not finish this sentence. Not even in her own head. It felt too dangerous. Lucifer. Marcus. Lucifer or Marcus. She shouldn’t put it that way. She was not choosing one over the other. It was not like that. Their relations were different. Marcus was … Marcus. And Lucifer … Chloe sighted again, deeper.
A shadow moved by the window. Chloe turned. “Lucifer?” But it was not him. Again.
oOo
The next morning at the precinct, Chloe looked worried. She had spent the entire night dreaming about Lucifer. Of him with her, purring and settling on her shoulders. Of him at her home when she’d come back from work welcoming her with a tilt of his head. He’d wish her a good day in the morning with the waving of his tail. He’d sleep side by side with her at night. She had woken up feeling so good, warm and at peace. Until she realized that at some point, in her dream, Lucifer had turned into Lucifer , the same that was walking down the stairs right now. She felt herself blush. Hopefully Lucifer wouldn’t notice. He crushed that hope the very first second.
“Hello Detective … Are you alright?” How could she resist his look of genuine concern? “I’m okay. I just … It’s been a while since I got news from one of my friend and I’m a bit worried. That’s all.”
“Do I know them? Do you want Maze to find them?” “No! No it’s stupid. I mean it’s … it’s a cat. Maybe his owners have moved or …” She felt stupid now. Why had she said that it was a friend. Now Lucifer must think she was ridiculous or he was about to make a joke that she had so little friends that she counted a cat among them.
“Do you really want to see him again? A mean … with everything you’re dealing with at the moment … the engagement and all.”
Lucifer was not mocking her, in fact he looked very serious. Concerned if not a bit defeated by his last words and … hopeful?
“Of course, more than ever. That’s in moments like this that you need your friend the most. Am I right?” Oblivious to the message she was trying to send him, Lucifer just stared at nothing, nodded and walked away.
oOo
When she got home Chloe had exactly 8 minutes of break before the shadows from the corner of her eyes started moving again. The few words she exchanged with Lucifer made her realized just how much she missed the other Lucifer. As if on cue one of the shadows actually walked toward her for once. The cat moved cautiously as if he didn’t know if he was welcome or not. Chloe chuckled far too relieved to care. Since when was Lucifer self-conscious?
“Lucifer! Hey I missed you boy! Where have you been?” Of course the cat did not answer but when she bent to took him in her arms he hurriedly helped her. And as soon as he was up there, he tried everything he could to be as close to her as he could. Chloe laughed some more and went sitting on the couch. Lucifer sat too and pressed his whole upper body to her chest, tilting his head up to look at her straight into the eyes.
Chloe was a bit taken aback when their gazes met and Lucifer started to purr. In his eyes there was something she could only describe as … love? Maybe it was normal for cats to look at people they like that way but it made Chloe’s insides do funny things and the more she looked at him the more her heart beat off rhythm.
“I love you too, Lucifer” she said before she kissed the tip of his nose. She would never say out loud how great it had felt to say those words. She couldn’t. Maybe because she was with Marcus now. Or maybe because they hurt too much, thinking about them, about what they could mean … Lucifer closed his eyes for just a moment, delighted. And because it was safe, to say those words now, to this cat, for this cat she tried to remember herself, she said them again. “I love you Lucifer” and for good measure she felt compelled to add “You’re a good boy.”
The other Lucifer would very likely be delighted to be called a good boy too and then probably made a sex joke about it, or ten. Suddenly her phone buzzed, still caught in the moment Chloe reached for it. Was it him? It was a text. From Marcus. Chloe realized too late that her first emotion had been disappointment.
‘My place or your?’ said the text. True, they said they would spend the evening together. Chloe had completely forgot. She eyed Lucifer who was still blissfully purring and texted back ‘Sorry Marcus but something came up. Can we do that tomorrow?’ Chloe did not even waited for his answer. Marcus might be a tough boss but when their relation was concerned he was a yes-man. She noticed Lucifer looking toward the phone and she quickly reassured him. “I’m not going anywhere. My night is all yours.” She swore then that Lucifer raised a brow so much like him that she almost heard the sex pun.