Chapter Text
Chloe woke up slowly, an unfamiliar but not entirely unpleasant ache resting heavily on her tired limbs.
The light outside was still hazy, the first rays of sun only just peeking out into the day and casting the room around her in glowy shadows.
She felt content, and more at peace than she had in a long time. With a smile on her face, she rolled over towards the middle of the bed, holding tight to the sheets that were covering her naked body.
Her grin was wiped quickly off her face when she found the bed empty. Reaching out her hand, she found the silky sheets were cold. Lucifer had been gone for a while.
Unwilling to believe the worst, Chloe flopped onto her back, blowing hair out of her face as she moved. It was only then that she heard the soft notes filtering through the open arch that led to the living room.
He was playing the piano.
She’d heard him play before, in Lux all those weeks ago, and again when they had come up here afterwards, but this was different.
Swinging her legs off the side of the bed, she grabbed the dress shirt Lucifer had discarded on the floor last night, slipping into it and fastening a few of the buttons as she walked towards the noise.
His eyes were closed as his hands glided over the keys in front of him, seemingly lost in what he was creating.
Chloe leaned against the stone wall, unwilling to interrupt him just yet. He had told her before that playing music was where he felt safe, and she could see it so obviously now.
He looked younger somehow, sitting at the piano. Innocent, maybe, would be a better way to describe him, Chloe thought, as she watched him play.
Lucifer let himself get lost in his creation.
It was a soft piece, gentle chords and a slow tempo. Patching back together cracks that had been festering for far longer than he wanted to admit.
He had lost track of time- his fingers voicing what his mouth couldn’t, and he knew that somewhere between the notes was Chloe.
He let the memory of her body against his compose the melody underneath his fingers, the sounds that filled the room sounding an awful lot like grace and forgiveness. Like hope.
The image of the way she had seen him for who he truly was and stayed came crashing out in a joyous, but gentle crescendo, his eyes finally opening as he let his fingers slow.
Chloe moved towards him now, catching the surprise in his eyes as she slid onto the piano bench next to him.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.” His voice was shy, a little embarrassed that she had been watching him pour his heart out through the keys of his piano.
“You didn’t.” She smiled up at him, unable to resist the urge to run one of her hands through his messy hair. He leaned into her touch, eyes fluttering shut for a second before focusing on her. “What were you playing?”
Lucifer ran his fingers along the bare skin of her thigh as she spoke. It wasn’t sexual, simply a need to feel her underneath his touch.
“Nothing really,” he said slowly, “just felt inspired to play.”
Chloe felt her heart skip a few beats at the way he looked at her while he answered. He was inspired by her , that much was clear in his eyes.
It was overwhelming, really, to hold his affection the way she did, but when he looked at her like he was right now she felt like nothing could ever break her.
“It sounded beautiful,” she told him earnestly, her own hand coming to tangle through the fingers he was resting against.
He turned his attention back to the keys in front of him, like they might speak for him if he waited long enough.
“There was no music in hell,” he said softly, enjoying the way Chloe squeezed his hand to offer comfort. “At least not music like this.”
She could hear the lament in his voice, the way it cracked around the words making her chest ache for him.
“I’d like to hear about it one day,” she whispered, kissing the tip of his shoulder before letting her chin rest against him. “All of it. When you’re ready.”
He wasn’t ready, not yet. He felt fragile still, like one wrong move would send her running. But he would be one day, and he found that he’d quite like to tell her about it when he was.
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said after a while, not sure how to accurately convey the emotions that were still coursing through him after their night together.
“Me, too.” Her response was simple and truthful. She was glad to be there, and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else, wouldn’t want to be with anyone else. She couldn’t help the yawn that escaped her, a reminder that it was still early, and Lucifer’s chest shook with amusement.
“Let’s get you back in bed.”
Lucifer smiled as he stood, flipping his hand over in hers to tangle their fingers properly, dragging her with him towards his bedroom. He let her go when they reached the bed, watching her climb in as he walked around to the other side and slid in next to her.
They met in the middle, their bodies fitting together effortlessly. Like they had been doing this forever.
He was warm against her, and Chloe rolled her body along the length of his to get as close as she could, letting one of her legs push between his.
Lucifer responded in turn, wrapping an arm around her body and pulling her in closer. He dropped a kiss to the crown of her head, and felt his cheeks warm when she placed one on his bare chest in return.
He was only wearing a pair of silk boxers he had picked up from the floor when he’d walked towards the piano this morning, and the feel of her pressed against him, even through the fabric of his dress shirt, was setting his body on fire.
His lust could wait, though. Right now he just wanted to hold her, to remind himself that she had chosen to stay, chosen him.
All of him.
“Do you have to go to work today?” He spoke the question into her hair, hoping that the answer was no, but knowing she would have to leave eventually.
He didn’t want her to.
If he could keep her in his penthouse for the rest of time, he just might. Hidden away from the rest of the world, from things that might break them.
She nodded slowly against his chest. “Yes, but not until lunch time. Ella’s opening up this morning.”
“Wonderful.” Lucifer reached down to tilt her chin towards his, realizing that they’d been awake for far too long without his lips touching hers.
It was a simple kiss, no expectation or agenda, and Chloe felt her body tingle at the fact that they were here. In his bed. Together.
“I would say that I’m sad we didn’t do this sooner,” she said with a laugh when they broke apart, “but I actually don’t think I am.”
“I wish we could have avoided that part where I hurt you,” Lucifer answered, his eyes looking away from hers.
Chloe rolled herself on top of him then, unwilling to let his mind run away from them.
“Look at me,” she said softly, her hands coming up to run along the stubble on his cheeks. He finally turned, his head reclined on the pile of pillows behind him.
His eyes were timid when they met hers, but his hands felt confident as they came to rest on her hips.
Touch was a language he understood. One that she was happy to speak in.
Chloe let her chest fall against his, her soft body fluid as it melded against the hard planes of his. With a kiss to his cheek and her hands framing his jaw, she spoke.
“I’ll probably hurt you too someday,” she said against his skin, letting her open mouth trail kisses across his face. “I know I will, but I hope you know I’d never do it on purpose.”
He sought out her lips, catching her bottom lip between his firmly for a moment. “ I know that,” he breathed against her, his words coming out in hot pants. His voice was a little indignant, like he was annoyed that she thought he didn’t trust her.
“So believe me when I say that I know you’d never hurt me on purpose either.” His body relaxed underneath hers, and she knew she had him. “If this is going to work, we have to have faith in each other.”
He wanted to tell her that he had more faith in her than he’d ever had in anything before.
That a smile from her made him feel the same way flying did. That he was certain she, sitting here on top of him in his dress shirt, was the most exquisite bit of creation that had ever existed.
That she had asked him where he felt safe and he hadn’t had an answer until he had met her.
He couldn’t though, the words stuck somewhere in his throat under centuries of abandonment and hurt, so he gave her an almost imperceptible nod and kissed her instead.
She kissed him back, open-mouthed and hot and messy. She could feel the way his grip had tightened, the way he was clinging to her now was desperate and pleading.
Chloe rolled to the side, slotting herself back into the space alongside his body, never breaking their kiss.
They’d have plenty of time for sex, all the time they wanted really, but right now she just wanted to make sure he knew he was loved.
Loved.
The thought snuck up on her, and she faltered in their kiss for a moment, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
She loved him.
The realization flooded through her, touching everything inside of her that had been scared of exactly this, coating it with something warm and peaceful.
It had only been three months since he had walked through the front door of the shop and into her life. To be in love with him already was crazy, right?
Her mind was spinning.
After the truths she learned last night, after her entire view of the world and its history had changed, she supposed being in love with the Devil wasn’t all that crazy.
She wanted him to know, though. He deserved to know, no matter what his response would be. No matter if he believed her or not.
“I love you,” she whispered into his lips, already prepared for the way he stilled beside her.
“I-” He stopped breathing all together, and Chloe pulled back far enough to look at him. His brow furrowed, eyes narrowing as he looked into her eyes, searching for something. It looked like he was about to offer a rebuttal, but before he could his face softened into something else. “How do you know?”
Out of all the possible things that could have come out of his mouth, Chloe hadn’t been expecting that question. More than anything, she expected him to run. Maybe not physically, but retreat back into the corners of his mind that told him he wasn’t worthy of anything she had to offer.
He was still clinging to her, his hand on her back holding on tighter than he needed to, she wasn’t going anywhere.
“How do I know I love you?” She wanted to make sure that she knew what he was asking, unwilling to leave any room for his own interpretation of what she had to say.
He nodded.
Chloe let herself think for a second, mind racing back through every conversation they’d had before now.
“Remember when I showed up at Lux? The night you drove us out to the observatory?” She waited for him to give her confirmation before she continued, her fingers mindlessly trailing over the skin of his chest and neck. “I told you that love was supposed to make you feel safe, that it was supposed to make you feel strong. Like you’re never really alone.”
“But I was talking about my family.”
Chloe could tell he was trying to piece it all together, how her words about familial love could possibly equate to what the two of them shared.
“I was thinking about you when I said it.”
He had been thinking about her, too. He remembered it quite clearly, how he had told Linda earlier that same day that he felt safe when he was around Chloe.
It was the same way he felt right now.
A conversation about love wasn’t something he’d ever approach on his own. Not that he’d ever gotten this far with someone before, but he imagined with anyone else he’d resort to some form of sexual distraction to attempt to put a stop to it.
With Chloe, though his heart and mind were racing, he found that he didn’t want to run from it, was willing to face it as long as she was here with him. He knew he was staring at her, but her face was calm and he sought out its solace.
“Safe,” he repeated slowly, more to himself than Chloe. “I make you feel safe? Even after last night?”
Chloe couldn’t ignore the look of disbelief on his face, leaning in towards him and pressing her lips firmly against his.
“Especially after last night.” Her voice was quiet, like she was letting him in on a secret.
He hummed into her mouth, the heat and vibration of it sending a shiver down her spine. His lips pushed back against hers, the hand that was on her back pulling her fully on top of him again.
His arms tightened around her, and the strength of his hold was almost too much.
“I told you last night I wasn’t going anywhere,” Chloe reminded him. “I meant it.”
He’d heard her the night before, when she’d comforted him with the same words. Part of him believed that it had just been remnants of fulfilled pleasure, her mind clouded with endorphins.
Hearing them now, he believed her.
He poured himself into the kiss, his tongue sliding against hers, their open mouths hot against the other’s. Just when he thought he’d taken over control, she’d push right back.
Give and take.
She’d said it so many times before, but Lucifer thought now he finally understood.
He had taken so much from her, and she’d willingly handed it to him. A part of him, somewhere deep and forgotten, told him that he’d given her things too. She’d told him as much, many times actually.
He just had to choose to believe her.
He was a man that needed proof, needed someone to show that they were true to their word. He had been cast out of the very place that claimed to be built on grace and forgiveness, while the people he loved, who had claimed to love him back, stood by and watched. Their words had meant nothing.
But Chloe wasn’t like that. Had proven that she was different.
She was still here, kissing him like she meant every word she had just said, and Lucifer decided that was more than enough proof for him.
He couldn’t string a sentence together, not now, but he hoped that one day he could tell her how he felt.
With words instead of touches or words in a notebook, instead of loaded glances or notes from his piano.
If he could have read her mind, he’d know that Chloe was thinking about how wonderful it was to be cared for by him. He may not have the words right now, but no one had ever been so forthcoming with their adoration.
One look from him stopped her in his tracks. Her mind had memorized the way his handwriting had looked on clean pages of his notebook, her heart still reeling with the way his words had made her feel.
And this morning, when she had listened to him play piano, she knew the piece had been an ode to their love.
No other word could describe the notes he had tethered together.
They stayed there for a while, the heated kiss turning into something soft and gentle. Eventually, Chloe yawned against his mouth, breaking the kiss and leaving them both laughing against the other.
Lucifer rolled her back into his side, but kept her tight against his body, using his free hand to pull outrageously soft sheets over their tangled bodies.
Only a few minutes later, both of them were asleep, twin smiles still lingering on red, swollen lips.
It was a little after lunch that Chloe finally strode into Eden.
Lucifer had driven her home after they had woken up for the second time that morning, lingering on her front porch and kissing her like they had nothing but time.
Her mom had been gone, thankfully, and she had avoided the awkwardness of walking into the house in last night’s clothes, mussed hair and swollen lips from their drawn-out goodbye on the porch.
She could deal with her mom later, and could already hear the barrage of questions and squeals.
Her mouth still tingled, and she raised up a hand to touch it, hiding her smile at the same time.
It was too late though, and Ella saw her before she could wipe away her grin.
“That good, huh?” Ella was already laughing as Chloe rounded the counter.
Pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes at her friend, Chloe tossed her bag into the cabinet below the register and sat down. Her efforts to act indifferent had already failed, and honestly she couldn’t find it in herself to care.
“The best,” she said, her smile growing slowly as images of her and Lucifer moving together entered her mind.
She watched as Ella opened and closed her mouth a few times, clearly in shock that Chloe had entertained her question.
“Wow,” was all that came out after a few moments. “Tell me everything. Well, not everything actually, I’d like to be able to look into his face when he walks in here.”
Chloe laughed at that, her cheeks flushing and mind racing at just how much ‘everything’ would be. Heaven and hell, wings and celestial trauma, pleasure and an impromptu ‘I love you.”
It was a lot, so she settled for the basics.
“We went to a restaurant that he loves a little bit outside of the city.” Chloe took the coffee that Ella had been making for her, sipping at it tentatively before she continued. “The staff there were all so protective of him, it was really sweet actually. We went back to his penthouse after that, had some dessert that looked awfully familiar.”
Ella’s smile was contagious, and Chloe was thankful to have someone like her in her life.
“Then we talked.” Chloe shook her head at Ella’s smirk and raised eyebrow. “ Really talked. He had things he needed to say, and I had things he needed to hear. I don’t think I’ve ever had someone willing to be so honest with me, even if it meant there was a chance I’d walk away.”
It was true, and Chloe knew that for every wall Lucifer kept so high around himself, he was always honest. Even his actions spoke clearly for him.
Ella’s eyes started to glisten as she listened to Chloe talk. It was beautiful, really, to see her friend so willing to be cared for after years of closing herself off.
For so long now, Chloe had held on to the same life she had been living before her dad had passed away, unwilling to move on without him here. But she deserved to.
Deserved to be happy and to be loved. To open herself up to the possibility of a life outside of Eden. To one with someone at her side.
“I’m so happy for you, Chloe, really.” Her voice was soft, breaking a little bit around her words.
“Thank you.” Chloe reached a hand out, squeezing Ella’s forearm where it rested on the counter between them. “For caring about me, and for caring about Lucifer.”
“You two crazy kids stress me out, but I love you guys,” Ella laughed as she spoke. “Separately and together.”
Chloe wished Lucifer had heard Ella’s statement. He was so loved. By both herself and others.
He hadn’t said it back, not that she had expected him to, and she was surprised at how little she cared that he hadn’t.
It had only been a few hours since she had watched him drive away, and she was already excited to see him again. He had time scheduled with Linda for this morning, but had promised to stop by the shop afterwards.
Reaching down to dig through the bag she had discarded earlier, Chloe pulled out the journal Ella had handed to her.
Ella watched, eyes wide and curious as Chloe flipped through the pages, catching quick glimpses of Lucifer’s handwriting. Finally, Chloe stopped, pulling out the picture Ella recognized as the one she had given to Lucifer a few weeks back.
She stood up slowly, setting the journal back down reverently as she moved. With steady hands, Chloe held the picture up against the wall behind the counter, right next to a photo of her and her dad, grabbing a push pin and carefully sticking it through.
Turning back to her friend, Chloe tried to blink away the moisture that had gathered in her eyes.
Ella lunged out of her seat, the quickness of her movement shocking Chloe. With arms wide, Ella came towards her with a smile on her face, wrapping her up in a hug.
“I’m proud of you,” Ella whispered to Chloe, the weight of her actions not lost on the brunette.
Chloe clung to her friend.
She was proud of herself, too.
Neither of them noticed the man that had walked in a few minutes before, frozen across the room as he had watched Chloe hang the photo on the wall.
If he thought he had understood the depths of his feelings for her as he had spilled them to Linda minutes ago, he had been wrong.
He was sure that he could create a universe all of his own right now, the sheer joy and light that seemed to be coursing through him threatening to escape.
She had hung their photo up.
On the wall that represented family and commitment. Belonging. Love.
Oh he loved her.
He may not know everything that entailed, everything that it meant for him, but he knew he did.
With long strides, he made his way to her, hands fidgeting against his sides as he waited for the two women to part.
When they finally separated, Chloe noticed him.
“How long have you been here,” she asked shyly, her eyes flickering towards the photo she had just hung up.
“Long enough,” he answered quickly, a shaky breath coming out as he smiled at her. “Can we go outside?”
Ella squeezed her arm, an unspoken confirmation that it was fine if she left. Chloe tried to suppress the nerves that shot through her.
Was something wrong? Surely he wasn’t upset about the photo?
With a slow nod, she came around to meet him, a wave of relief flooding through her when he immediately tangled his hand with hers.
Without a word, he pulled at her, a silent request for her to follow him. She’d follow him anywhere, she figured, if he looked at her like he was right now.
She was surprised when he led them outside, off the front porch, and down to the beach. He made a face of disgust when they stepped onto the sand, and Chloe held back a laugh.
Finally, he slowed, gesturing for her to sit before he joined her. They’d sat almost in this exact spot after he’d tagged along to the farmer’s market, and Chloe couldn’t help but smile as she thought of how far they had come.
“You hung up our photo,” he said after a while, his fingers toying with hers.
“I did.” She spoke slowly, staring at him and trying to gauge where the conversation was going. He didn’t answer, his brow furrowed as he looked at her. “Is that okay?”
He looked shocked by her question, and Chloe felt a shiver of doubt pass through her. Just as she was about to speak again, defend her choices, he surged towards her.
With a searing kiss, he let his free hand sink into her hair, holding her close. It was only when oxygen became essential that he pulled okay.
“‘
Okay’
doesn’t even begin to describe it,” he spoke into the tiny bit of space between them, his voice dripping with awe and wonder. “No one’s ever cared for me like you do, been proud to have me in their life.”
He stopped, his hand curling into her hair as he rested his forehead on hers, collecting his thoughts.
“I created the stars, Chloe. Made light out of nothing, filled the darkness with it,” he said finally. “That’s what it felt like to see you put the photo up.”
Her breath caught in her throat.
Chloe had never been religious, didn’t know what it was like to sing praises of worship to someone, but she was sure now that it must sound an awful lot like that.
“Lucifer.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, eyes closed tight as she let his hand in her hair ground her back to the moment.
He was trembling. An angel of God, filled with divinity and holiness, shaking under the weight of his feelings for her.
“I never thought that love was something I was capable of.” Chloe could hear the hitch in his voice. “I was created to serve my father. All we ever knew was that our love for him was purely about loyalty, about devotion and service. It wasn’t love, it was control. I know that now.”
Chloe pulled her head away from his, wanting to see him as she spoke. With a gentle thumb, she wiped away a stray tear that she was sure he didn’t know had fallen.
Her heart was thumping heavily in her chest. If she had wings of her own, she knew nothing could stop her from flying straight to the Silver City and giving his father a piece of her mind.
“You’ve shown me that love is nothing like that.” His words sounded less shaky now, more confidence seeping into his voice. “I’ve been afraid. Afraid that caring for someone, for you , would mean giving up the freedom I fell for. For so long that freedom has been all I’ve had. Not anymore.”
His eyes were sparkling at her now, the sun shining brightly and showing off the flecks of gold in them. They were no longer filled with the fear she had grown so used to.
She thought he was done speaking, the silence settling comfortably between them as he looked at her.
“I love you.”
Lucifer had never known the true taste of the freedom he had fought so hard for until those three words fell out of his mouth.
He had chosen to say them. Chosen to fall for Chloe, to willingly let her have power over him.
It was nothing like what he had known in heaven.
That love had felt like shackles.
This love felt like salvation.
Relief and joy flooded Chloe, slipping out of her mouth in an elated laugh. This beach had seen some of their best moments, the start of their friendship, but she was sure nothing would ever top this.
“You love me,” she repeated, barely able to speak around the wide grin that had split across her face. He nodded slowly. “Say it again.”
“I love you, Chloe.”
She kissed him. There was nothing else she could do.
She’d known happiness before, had felt the comfort and warmth of knowing you were loved, but this was something else entirely.
Whispering her own admissions of love through hot breaths and clashing teeth, she felt the last of her hesitation fall away.
She was all in.
And now she knew he was, too.
They stayed on the sand for a while, unwilling to leave the moment behind just yet.
Eventually though, she knew she needed to get back to work. With one last press of her lips to his, she stood up, offering him her hand as he stood.
After he had straightened himself, he pulled on her hand and hauled her body into his chest, tucking her head underneath his chin.
“Guess you’ll have to teach me how to be in a relationship now,” he said, his voice light and teasing. “How to be in love.”
She knew he was probably feeling raw. The last three days had her feeling like they had been on a rollercoaster that had only just stopped, and recognized his attempt to lighten the situation with his usual self-deprecation.
She had been happy to take the reins in their friendship when he had asked her to. She may have more experience with love than he did, but she’d never experience it like this before.
This was different. Their love was different.
Give and take.
“We’ll figure this one out together.”
Chloe pulled away then, keeping her hand in his as they walked back towards the coffee shop.
As they walked, Lucifer realized he had never felt quite so peaceful. When they walked past the sign that had intrigued him months ago, he smiled.
He’d rebelled for a chance at freedom in his father’s garden, little did he know he’d find it eons later in an Eden all of his own.