#c. decker.

❛               LUCIFER     .               ❜               reproachful     tone     [     …     ]     she     has     always     been     a     force     /     now     is     no     exception     .               (               the     ground     beneath     her     feet     seems     to     tremble     .               )                         ❛               you're     like     a     child     [     …     ]     are     you     ever     going     to     grow     up     ?               ❜

SOMEWHERE     ALONG     THE     LINE     HER     INSIDES     WENT     GILT     IN     GOLD     .               it     bleeds     through     her     cracks     &&     pools     on     the     pavement     at     their     feet     .               (               has     yet     to     decide     whether     it's     a     good     thing     or     not     .               )               there's     a     laugh     /     one     hand     lifting     to     readjust     sunglasses     as     she     looks     at     everything     &&     nothing     .          

CHLOE     :          you're     ridiculous,     you     know     that     ?               

❛               -----               YEAH     .               yeah     ,     it     does     .               ❜               gloves     are     slick     against     her     palms     ,     sticking     to     the     webbing     between     her     fingers     .               there's     movement     around     them               [     ...     ]               fellow     officers     &&     the     forensics     team     ,     ella     off     in     the     corner     in     a     rainbow     print     top     ,     a     bright     spot     as     she     fills     out     a     form     next     to     the     dead     body     that     has     caused     them     all     to     gather     here     today     .               ❛               [     ...     ]               i     don't     think     we     have     a     big     enough     evidence     bag     for     it     .               ❜         

THE     SOUND     ECHOS               [     ...     ]               HARSH     &&     METALLIC     &&     URGENT     .               compliance     is     immediate     ,     no     hesitation     as     weapon     is     dropped     &&     both     hands     go     held     up     ,     fingers     splayed               -----               image     of     compliance     with     wide     eyes     .               ❛               what     ?               why     ?               ❜               confusion     &&     urgency     at     war     within     her     voice         :     there     must     be     a     reason     behind     his     order     ,     so     rarely     does     he     give     them     .               hands     lower     ,     rest     in     the     space     around     her     waist     .               she's     waiting     .               ❛               lucifer     .               what's     going     on     ?               ❜         

THERE'S     SOMETHING     MOBILE     IN     HER     CHEST     .          something     caught     within     the     cage     of     her     ribs     rattling     around     with     such     force     ,     she's     surprised     she's     not     moving     from     the     weight     of     it     .          surprised     she's     not     hearing     the     nasty     crack     of     bone     breaking     .          she's     been     in     this     place     before     :     she's     been     married     ,     has     a     child     to     call     her     own     but     no     matter     how     dan     looked     at     her     when     they     were     together     &&     in     love     before     everything     cracked     &&     shattered     &&     failed     ,     there     is     something     in     lucifers     eyes     ,     something     in     the     way     he     holds     her     there     ,     that     blows     all     of     that     out     of     the     water     .     

PERHAPS     IT'S     VULNERABILITY     IN     HER     RECOGNIZING     IT'S     REFLECTION     IN     HIM     .          there     is     something     fragile     in     them     both     that's     so     at     odds     with     how     they     normally     portray     themselves     ,     as     if     one     wrong     move     ,     one     wrong     breath     &&     this     moment     will     dissolve     .          will     fall     apart     .          but     his     hands     bracketing     her     face     ,     his     eyes     focusing     wholly     on     her     [     ...     ]     it     leaves     her     aching     &&     empty     .          yearning     .          ❛           ---     lucifer     [     ...     ]     ❜           voice     stumbles     ,     gaze     stuttering     from     his     eyes     to     his     mouth     &&     back     again     .          he's     close     /     she's     hungry     .          rather     than     giving     verbal     approval     ,     chloe     ,     instead     ,     moves     forward     .          closes     the     gap     between     them     with     surety     .