All Around Me Are Familiar Faces

tooxmanyxfaces​:

ckingsbury1967​:

“Oh, I found you!  That’s awesome!”  Cheryl was all smiles as she trotted to the bar after him like a puppy.  She stood a bit behind him, a little afraid of the female bartender who seemed to have a problem with her.  “So I was looking for a job in the area and—-”

She trailed off, only now realizing what this smiling man had just said.  “Sorry,” she replied slowly, “but did you say your name was Lucifer?”  

He took note of her more chipper personality as he told Maize to head off to help the other end of the bar. He reached over the bar and grabbed himself a bottle of scotch to help himself to. He turned his head to look at her, pausing a bit. He chuckled, “Why yes silly. Like the Devil.” he winked.

He started refilling his glass and kept his eyes on the liquid “So you said you were looking for a job. Why here?” He asked quizzically.

Cheryl chuckled along with him too, although she was honestly aghast.  “I’m so sorry,” she wheezed, leaning on the bar and shaking her head.  “What kind of parent names their kid after the devil?  Oh my.”  She swept her hair out of her face and watched him pouring a glass of some amber liquid.  

tooxmanyxfaces​:

ckingsbury1967​:

Cheryl crossed her fingers for luck as she entered the large, crowded, and very loud nightclub.  She was down to her last dollar in her bank account since she’d arrived in LA, and if she didn’t get a job soon, that dollar would be gone too.  In her bag was a resume that she hoped might get her a position at this club, one way or another.

“Excuse me, sorry,” she spoke over the loud music to the well-dressed man playing the piano.  “But could you please direct me to the club owner?  I’m looking for a job,” she added with a nervous smile.

Lucifer sat at the piano, a drink on standby and his fingers dancing across the keys. It was a typical night at Lux; young men and women and those in between, drunk or otherwise intoxicated, hoping to not leave alone again.

It was the voice that pulled him from his thoughts, the loud dance music jumping in when he stopped playing. He offered the other a look accompanied by a boyish smile. “I could direct you but looks like you found him all on your own.” He winked, grabbing his drink from off the top of the piano and heading to the bar where Maize was offering a judging stare. “Names Lucifer. And you are?” He asked

“Oh, I found you!  That’s awesome!”  Cheryl was all smiles as she trotted to the bar after him like a puppy.  She stood a bit behind him, a little afraid of the female bartender who seemed to have a problem with her.  “So I was looking for a job in the area and—-”

(starter for @tooxmanyxfaces)

Cheryl crossed her fingers for luck as she entered the large, crowded, and very loud nightclub.  She was down to her last dollar in her bank account since she’d arrived in LA, and if she didn’t get a job soon, that dollar would be gone too.  In her bag was a resume that she hoped might get her a position at this club, one way or another.

MUSIC LOUD, BODIES GRINDING on each other. The vampire sat at the bar, eyes scanning as he looked for potential. The smell of human blood having his salivate. Though his senses caught that of something un human. Something that gave him a chill. He turned his eyes, spinning in the bar seat until his eyes settled on a man. 

                                           |@punishmentismyjob​|

Lucifer felt eyes on him and found the person it belonged to and lifted his chin. Something about this person didn’t feel… Human?  It wasn’t entirely demon either so he approached and asked, “Hell-o there, can I help you?”

He shut the door and went to lock it but decided what point was there. He took her suggestion and lead the way down the hall towards the stairs the loud music becoming more apparent. “I didn’t catch your name? I’m sure it’ll be an alias but I rather like being on a first name basis with those I share drinks with.” He doesn’t bother looking behind him, but he knows she’s still there. In fact he’s confident she can’t just escape until they reach the front door on their way to the bar. He won’t let her get past the double doors though. He might have dismissed her crime, but he was nosey.

She followed her to the other side of the room and nodded her head. She was looking out the window now, worry stirring. “Anthony has to meet with my father across town in just a little bit. We can do it then. I don’t want him in the building while we meet.” She was paranoid and rightfully so. “Make it happen.” She stayed with certainty, eyes casting to Leo for reassurance.

He shrugs in defeat as she declines any further help. He wouldn’t force it of course. “Buy me a drink?” He chuckles, “I own the joint. Drinks on me.” He was sure she was put off by the fact that her “victim” was so calm, and dismissive of the literal crime she had just committed. He walked just outside the door, he escalation in heart rate making an impression on him. He offered the hallway to her “After you.”

Bastians eye brows lifted as she spoke. She was taking in what she said calmly and nodded. A knock on the door broke the silence between them. Bastian’s eyes slightly widened and she stood up quickly. She walked up to the door, unlocking it quickly before opening it and seeing Anthony there. She offered a faked smile as he peeked his head in to see Leo. “I was looking for you.” Bastian chuckled rather easily and gestures to Leo “Well you were discussing groom wedding things, I had my own girlie wedding things of my own to discuss. Did you know my dress is going to be twelve layers? I didn’t! Y’all about heavy!” She looks back at Leo and then back to the man. He leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek, Bastian doing everything in her power not to jerk away. “I’ll be down stairs.” He says. She nods and shuts the door, locking it back. “He isn’t stupid that’s for sure.”

He took genuine pleasure in her admiration for his choice of hiding place. He grinned a bit, tugging at his tie “Yes well, people actually look there last these days because they don’t believe anyone to be foolish enough to hide things in such an obvious place.” “Sometimes a few extra minutes is all it takes to catch a theif.” He winks. “Well, keep that as a consolation prize. Can I help you find something else?”

She scrolled a bit more, memorizing every detail about the file of information before her. Vandalism, car accidents, assault. One of the reasons she had kept Anthony’s issues from Leo was because she knew it would lead to a potentially dead man. Her eyes avoided Leo’s now as she asked what he had done. She was more embarrassed she’s allowed someone to do anything to her in the first place. She wasn’t weak. She also wasn’t a cry baby. There was no reason to allow someone to make her feel any less. She sat on the end of her bed, hand hand dropping from her lips, the hand holding her phone now reaching out to pass back to Leo. Her eyes still avoidant. She rolled her head up, now looking at the other. “I can get out of this without disappointment right?”

Leo accepted the phone, but hesitated at Bastian’s question. Her main concern from the moment she’d started to like the princess was the fundamental difference between them. Bastian was a good person. The royal didn’t want to see anyone hurt. How else had she managed Leo standing in front of her? Where the former criminal’s only hesitation in disposing of Bastian’s fiancee that night was how high-profile ht crime would be, she was rather certain the royal’s hesitation would be a moral one. “That remains to be seen, princess. The matter can be handled efficiently, or to your liking but either would require further discussion with your security team. Perhaps a matter of state requires your attention and presence elsewhere until they can be convened?”

He was leaning on the door frame on his shoulder, hands tucked into his dress pants pockets. He could tell he’d thrown her off guard. Someone as good as her probably hadn’t expected to be walked in on mid heist.

He looks at the door lock and chuckles “Oh absolutely. You cracked that one in no time it seems.” He walks past her, removing the painting from the wall to reveal a not so secret safe. He entered the code, opened in and pulled out a few bundles of cash. “Are you here for these?” He asks, handing her one and then flipping through the fresh bills of the other.

Bastian was rubbing her temples as Leo walked in, shutting and double locking the door behind her. She wasn’t hesitant to take the phone from Leo and start looking. She was slowly pacing, fingers at her mouth, her teeth nibbling at her bottom lip.

“Pay offs?” She questioned, eyes catching the others in confusion. “What do you think he was paying off?” Know what Bastian knew at this stage it could be for anything, murder, kidnapping, assault, hidden family members, drugs, etcetera. She didn’t need much convincing to know Anthony wasn’t who he said he was. But how was she supposed to get out of this mess?

Nodding at the question, Leo motioned to the phone. “Keep scrolling. There’s a summary from what I was able to get pulled state-side. In his early teens, our dear Anthony was reckless. Mostly vandalism, and two payments that are ongoing seem to be made out to individuals tied to car accidents. The more recent ones are for assault.” Leo took a deep breath before continuing. “Bastian, what has he done?” she asked, guessing there had to be something the man did. Too much of his past was expertly covered. Beyond that..someone like the man Anthony seemed to be would only escalate things. Becoming royalty, a prince with access to a nation’s wealth….it was a good way to take care of him. His family could continue with the hush money, but the crown would take care of future crimes.

Lucifer left most of his business dealings to minions. He also trusted the security of his night club to the actual security. However he was never above being aware of his surroundings himself. Heartbeats were always sporadic at a club. Drugs, alcohol, love, lust.. and on the occasion, none of the above. That’s what he got from a single heartbeat. He had to admit though, when he stood in the doorway of his office, he hadn’t expect her to be so quick, and good.

“I must say I’m rather impressed.”

CLOSED || @gadaiarneamh

Bastian has gone through quite a bit in the past year. It had lead her to this moment. Her hand held the mans hand to her left. They’d met in her time back home from America. Her fiancé. To the public he was perfect. Y’all, blonde, kind, smart, and came from a good family. He’d serve the country well. The only problem is Bastian fell hard for him. Far too quickly. She didn’t know really anything about him. She did know however, that he was not kind. She felt trapped when she was around him. One thing Bastian was good at was hiding her emotions to the public though. Her mother’s death proved that. Behind closed doors Anthony was cruel. Bastian told Leo to dig into his past, see what she found. She didn’t tell Leo anything in regards to what he did to her when she wasn’t around, but she had a feeling Leo knew. Anthony was in the foyer down stairs discussing wedding things with god knows who. Bastian sported Leo down the hall and she dipped into her room to wait for her.

Leo had been a little surprised when Bastian had made her request. It was a very well kept secret that the former thief wasn’t especially fond of Anthony, but knowing Bastian had some suspicions (and why else would Bastian ask her to look into the man?).  So much about Anthony rubbed her the wrong way - but Leo had been in several abusive relationships. The easy charm and the expectation that everyone would be charmed, the ease that he had when moving through Bastian’s circles..it seemed suspect. After making eye contact with Bastian, Leo followed her into the royal’s bedroom. She’d learned quite a lot about the young man, nothing Bastian would like. When Leo turned to lock the door behind her, she also slipped a traveling lock in place for good measure to ensure they wouldn’t be interrupted.