From Lucifer's Penthouse to Los Angeles, Monday Evening

[my_own_advocate]

Right. Lucifer considered himself again in the walk-in mirror. Was his bow-tie properly tied? The rest of the white tux was immaculate, but the tie...

Look, he'd managed to finally come out of hiding on the Rouge a few days ago. He'd spoken to miss Lopez, and discovered almost no time had passed. Which had come in handy for when Linda had come over to yell at him about how hard it was to find an elementary school for a child that was only a year old on paper. And then... time had gone on.

Amenadiel had yelled at him again, but he'd ignored that.

No, if they were going to be in Los Angeles, he was... going to try and take his mind off of the whole God mess. No one needed him self-actualizing anything else in a panic, right? So he'd arranged something special for tonight. A visit to the only magician's club in all the world...

"Now if only I could get this bloody bowtie right," he muttered, as he gave up, and finally stepped out of the walk-in, back into the apartment.

[[ for them, and based on Lucifer season 6 episode 1, 'Nothing Ever Changes Around Here'. ]]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes," Lucifer said, nodding. "You're trying to find out which people may have motive to kill Magnar's apprentice."

A pause.

And then, without thinking, he added, "Would you like some assistance? For old times' sake."

[okteiviakom]

Well, great way to get Octavia's eyes to dart over to Lucifer's face. Or his profile, anyway, whatever.

Her own face was unreadable, though.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke's face was not unreadable. Duke's face was in large print and translated into several languages for optimal accessibility.

He was not a fan of assisting with this murder case, no.

[my_own_advocate]

Ah. "Ah," Lucifer said, "If in exchange Duke and Octavia can go home, of course."

[nohottubgirl]

Chloe's forehead crumpled into a frown. "I-- this is not a hostage situation, Lucifer."

[okteiviakom]

"Also we're a long way from home," Octavia rasped, evenly.

Although now she was glancing at Duke, to get a read on him.

[betterthanaplan]

"My boat's the harbor," Duke noted. "We can, uh. Wait there. If you want to hang out, Luce."

He'd prefer to drag Lucifer back to the Rouge with them, but well. He understood wanting to do things 'for old times' sake' with a former fling. Even while he kind of hated it.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, the show seems unfortunately done for the night," Lucifer said, tossing them both a-- sheepish sort of smile. "And the police are here, and I know you're not entirely comfortable with our dear detectives, but I would really like to get to the bottom of this mystery."

[nohottubgirl]

"I hadn't even--" Told him it was okay to join in, Chloe wanted to finish, but then she vividly remembered what life with Lucifer had been like, and she just rubbed her forehead. "You're free to go wherever you want after just a few more questions," she said. "That goes for all three of you."

[okteiviakom]

"Well, can we get to the questions?"

Seemed like those would be more simple than everything else they had going on here.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke raised a finger. “Am I going to get pushback if I plead the fifth?”

[nohottubgirl]

And Chloe already had a headache.

"No," she said, in a tone that read, but why would you?, "That is your constitutional right."

She lifted her notepad.

"Tell me about what happened. Step by step. Did you--"

Lucifer opened his mouth and started talking. He was very detailed. Probably too detailed.

After a few minutes of that, Chloe cleared her throat. "Mr. Crocker, Miss-- Octavia," did she even have a last name? "Please tell me in your words."

[okteiviakom]

Oh, there went the option of just going 'What he said'.

Octavia's ensuing reply was a lot more concise than Lucifer's, and lighter on details. Still, it was truthful. Not like she was trying to get this investigation to take longer.

"Also," she added at the end, nodding towards their little table, "I didn't drink the cider, because our drinks showed up unordered and still weirdly fitting us. And I didn't think that was something to trust."

[betterthanaplan]

“I’m not saying anything further without a lawyer present,” Duke said cheerfully when it was his turn. “Besides, they got everything covered. Are we free to leave?”

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer blinked when Octavia finished, and leaned over in a quiet aside, awkward cleared-throat implied, "Darling, there's a questionnaire about your preferences when you join this club. I updated mine before we came here. I just try not to think about it because it ruins the mystery when we're here."

[nohottubgirl]

Chloe, meanwhile, rubbed her forehead and eyed Duke. "Seriously?" she said. "Yes, you're free to leave."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave Lucifer a mildly dry look, and didn't particularly lower her voice as she said, "You could've just told me when I asked. I've been poisoned before."

[my_own_advocate]

"To preserve the mystery," Lucifer hissed. "Why would you assume you'd be poisoned at a club I co-founded?!"

[okteiviakom]

"Because I know you would never assume it could happen," Octavia snapped back at him. But at a slightly lower volume, this time. Like maybe she was at least half-remembering there was an audience.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke tossed Chloe a salute, not the least bit bothered by her irritation, and got to his feet. “Ella, lovely to see you. Let’s hang out at a non-crime scene sometime. Detective, it’s been . . . a thing.”

He offered Octavia his arm. “Let’s go,” he suggested. “Luce, you with us, or sticking around?”

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer had opened his mouth to say something no doubt ill-advised, but at least Duke distracted him from it. "Ah, I'll stay here," he said. "I need to see this case through, obviously."

Sure. Obviously.

[okteiviakom]

Of course.

The expression on Octavia's face was looking a little tight, but she took Duke's arm. Hopefully that was enough indication she was taking his suggestion, since she didn't say anything.

[betterthanaplan]

It seemed like a reasonable assumption, yes.

Duke leaned down to give Lucifer a quick kiss. “See you at the boat when you’re done.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Of course," Lucifer said, inclining his head. "I will endeavour not to be long."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia continued to say nothing, and wasn't really in a kissing mood.

But she reached out and briefly brushed her fingers over Lucifer's sleeve. It was enough for right now.