Chapter Text
"Fuck, fuck, fuck! Come on Emily, we're gonna be late!" Adam shouted as he pulled his daughter along, running towards the elementary school. He didn't set his alarm clock and had over slept.
Emily's little legs kept up with her dad, running at his side. "I don't wanna be late!"
Adam rounded a corner, not looking where he was going. "I kno- Oof!" He had ran into some short blonde man, knocking him to the ground. "Fuck, sorry man!" Adam called out as he kept running. He was gonna be late for work and Michael would have his fucking ass. He raced to the classroom and took Emily's backpack. "Go, go, go! I'll hang it up." Emily gave him a quick hug and ran to her seat.
Adam put the bag on the hook and slumped. He really needed to plan better. Turning around he jumped when that blonde guy from before was behind him. "Fuck! Do you mind? I got shit to do, places to be." Adam started walking away briskly. He didn't have time for this shit!
"Don't you need these, angel?" Adam turned and his eyes went wide when he saw the man holding his keys. He ignored the nickname. Adam felt his pockets and sure enough they were gone. "You dropped them."
Adam went over and snatched them. "Thanks, I gotta go." He took off down the hall running back to his SUV. When he put the key in, the vehicle made a funny sound. "No." He tried it again and the same sound came out. A third time something popped and smoke started rolling from under the hood. "No! I don't fucking need this right now." Adam got out and popped the hood. Smoke hit him in the face, he coughed. "Fuck me." This was the shit icing in the shit cake. Not only did he over sleep, he burnt breakfast, almost forgot Emily's backpack and lunch, he spent too much time looking for his keys. Adam was also pretty sure his shirt was on inside out.
He sat back in the car and placed his head on the steering wheel. What the fuck was he supposed to do? He couldn't afford to get his car towed, impounded, and fixed. He still need to go grocery shopping for fuck sakes! They were running low on everything and that dick head Michael would surely dock his pay for being late again. Third time this week alone. "Just fuck me."
"I think I can lend you a hand."
Adam jumped when he heard the voice and turned to the blonde man with a raised eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"Your car, I can give you a ride. Names Lucifer by the way." Lucifer extended his hand.
Adam looked at it and gave a quick shake. "Adam. Why? You don't even fucking know me."
Lucifer put his hands in his pockets. "I know what it's like to have a shitty day and just wanted to help. You're gonna be late, aren't you?"
Fuck, he really was. Adam glanced back at his vehicle and bit his lip, he checked the time on his watch. Shit, he didn't have a lot of time. He got back out and closed the hood of his SUV. "Yes."
"Come on, where do you work?"
"Skybucks on main." Adam didn't know why he was suddenly embarrassed about where he worked. He snatched his uniform from the back seat of his car, the blue apron and hat visor.
Lucifer beamed. "What do you know, I was gonna get a coffee. Let's go." Adam followed Lucifer to his Branco and got into the passenger side. He didn't think that he had ever been in a vehicle this nice. "How long have you worked there?" Lucifer asked as he drove down the road to main street.
"Five years."
"Nice. Do you like it?"
Adam snorted, "Do I like slinging coffee for ungrateful assholes who get pissy when you use a splash too much creme and they claim you're the reason their day is ruined? I'm gonna go with no on that one." Adam looked out the window and glanced at the time. Fuck, he would still be late. "Not to mention my boss is a total dick."
Lucifer frowned. "If you don't like why work there?"
Adam was a little bit more than embarrassed by his answer. So maybe only a half truth. "Pays not horrible. And it's close enough to the school that I can just nab Emily and take her back to work with me when I'm working a longer shift."
Lucifer nodded, being a public place they couldn't kick his little girl out. "That's good at least." He pulled into a parking space infront of skybucks. "Here you go."
Adam pulled on his uniform quickly. "Thanks man, I fucking owe you one." He flashed Lucifer a grateful smile and hopped out of the car and ran for the store.
"Adam! You're late, again. Give me one good reason not to fire your ass?" Michael said arms crossed and glaring.
"Uh, because you're already short staffed and Sera won't come in on her day off?" Adam said with a smile, he walked around the counter.
Michael blinked at him frustrated. "Just get to work." He took off to the back where his office was.
Adam slumped exhaling in relief, he turned when he heard the door chime. Lucifer was standing at the cash register. "And what do you want?" He asked as he punched his code into the computer to take the blondes order.
Lucifer gave Adam a once over while he wasn't looking. A tall good looking brunette to go.~ "Just a large coffee with two milk, one sugar."
"Alright. Three dollars." Adam took the ten dollar bill, he was handing Lucifer back his change when the blonde held up his hand refusing it.
"Consider it a tip." Lucifer smiled.
Adam blinked, he looked between the money in his hand and Lucifer. "Seriously? It's more than your coffee?" Not that Adam really cared, he liked money.
Lucifer shrugged. "Keep it."
Adam nodded, uncertainty setting in, he threw it in his tip jar. He grabbed a cup and wrote Lucifer's order on the cup and started to write his name but paused. He didn't know how to fucking spell it and didn't want to come off as stupid. So he just wrote 'Luci' on it and got to work making the coffee. Once the coffee was made he handed it to Lucifer. "One coffee with milk and sugar."
Lucifer took it and looked at the cup. "Luci?" He gave an amused look.
Adam felt his face grow warm. Shit, he was hoping that he wouldn't notice that. "Uh, yeah, the fucking pen ran out of ink." He mentally high fived himself, good save Adam!
Sure it did, Lucifer thought as he looked Adam over. "Thanks." He took his leave and sat down in a far corner. Lucifer took out his phone and decided to answer some emails for work. Every once in a while glancing up at Adam as the brunette dealt with the morning rush.
He had seen Adam around always rushing to drop his daughter off at school and then speeding off to work. Lucifer had always wanted to talk yo him, but he never had a good enough reason or when he finally got the nerve Adam would be taking off like a bat out of Hell. The longest he ever saw Adam sit still was at a PTA meeting.
"Are you fucking stupid!? How difficult is it to make an iced frappuccino with two pumps espresso, caramel, cold foam with extra-" This woman was firing into Adam about her drink not being made right. She rattled off all these things that went into it and Lucifer couldn't believe you could even fit that much in one drink.
"Like you fucking need it." Adam muttered but it was loud enough for everyone to hear. The woman's jaw dropped at his rudeness and Lucifer had to stifle a laugh. The woman was as tall as Lucifer was and likely weighed four times as much.
"Excuse me!? You fucking little prick." The woman threw her drink in Adam's face. She smirked as he gasped from how cold it was. "I want to speak to your manager!"
"You miserable old bitch." Adam stomped away to get Michael.
Lucifer sat there scowling at the woman, there was no need to throw her damn drink.
Adam and Michael came back out and the manager apologized to the woman and made her a new drink for free. He turned to Adam. "Can I speak to you?"
Just fucking great, Adam thought as he was lead to the back. The new girl took over the cash as they spoke. "What?"
"Don't take an attitude with me Adam, you're on thin ice." Michael smirked when he saw the brunette pale at his words. He knew how badly Adam needed this job to support his little girl. "Don't pick fights with customers."
Adam rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't of they weren't such cunts."
Can't argue there. Michael changed his demeanor, eyes roaming over Adams body. "How are things at home?"
Adam scoffed and crossed his arms trying to hide himself. "As if you have to ask." Adam was not very well off financially, what money he made went to rent, gas, and food mainly for Emily.
He didn't qualify for food stamps since he made just enough to not get them. At the end of the work days when he'd close up, he'd put all the leftover baked goods into a big bag and take it home. They were gonna just throw them out anyway, why fucking waste them?
"You know my offer still stands."
Adam wrinkled his nose. "And my answer still stands, no. I'm not interested in you like that." About a week ago Micheal had offered Adam safety and security, he'd never worry about anything again. He just had to give Michael his love. To which Adam replied that he would rather live in his fucking care and eat food straight out the dumpster before he entertained the idea of even touching Michael.
Michael narrowed his eyes. "You'll change your mind. Now get back to work while you still have a job." He left slamming his office door.
Adam sighed and went back to working out front.
The rest of his shift went without incident. Adam would glance over at Lucifer from time to time. He's seen him around before but never spoke to him until today. It was actually nice to meet someone nice for a change. He was cute and on the shorter side. Normally that wouldn't do it for Adam but he found it kinda perfect? He wasn't sure why.
When his shift was coming to an end, he had to figure out how he was going to pick Emily up. He didn't just want to ask Lucifer for another ride.
He didn't have to since the blonde offered and Adam accepted. "Do you need a tow truck for your car?" Lucifer asked as they pulled in next to Adams car. The smoke had stopped.
"Yeah, but I really can't fucking afford it." At best he could keep the car here until someone called to have it towed away.
"I can call one for you, I know a guy."
"What? No, that's way too much. Bad enough you had to give me a fucking ride. Thanks by the way." They walked in and got their girls, both Emily and Charlie were talking their heads off about their day.
Lucifer blew out air. "I don't give a shit. Besides, you can pay me back."
Adam wasn't certain. "I don't know...."
"Daddy! Can I play at Charlie's this weekend?" Emily interrupted as they call got into Lucifer's vehicle. "Please!"
"Umm..." Adam looked at Lucifer who didn't seem to mind. "Sure."
"Yay! Thank you!"
Adam softened, "You're welcome, hun." He ruffled her hair and made sure her seatbelt was snapped in. He got in the passenger side again.
"Since they've become such good friends, we should swap numbers. You know, for play dates and keeping in touch regarding the girls." Lucifer suggested, even of he had ulterior motives involving the brunette.
Adam agreed and they exchanged numbers. He had to show Lucifer which way their house was. The house wasn't anything special but it was cheap rent and kept a roof over their heads. He thanked Lucifer again and collected Emily.
Lucifer watched him go and bit his lip. Damn, it was only the first day of officially getting to know Adam and he already felt like he was in too deep.