What exactly am I walking into?", Benji eyed Izzy curiously whilst sipping on the coffee she had gotten for him — he was glad that she had been truthful, because as someone who woke up at 4 and was immediately being dragged to a nightclub, he desperately needed it. Even if he needed to have it without his usual accompaniment. Luckily, though, he expected to get some alcohol in his system as soon as they'd get to Lux, and from the looks of it, Izzy needed some of that, too. She seemed visibly nervous, her knuckles white from gripping the wheel so tightly, and her mouth tossing and turning the piece of gum without an end in sight. And that was why Benjamin had to question her intentions and why he had agreed so easily.

Though she did have to admit, Izzy was looking rather lovely — the blue uniform he was used to seeing her in had changed into more casual, but still stylish clothes. It almost looked like she had gotten dressed not for something, but someone.

"Lucifer said he's trying to arrange a girls' night for Chloe. Which, you know— she kinda scares me. But also, apparently Mazikeen will take care of it. So, uh, Lucifer also invited me, and Ella, I think", Izzy ranted, and pursing his lips into a smile that he just couldn't hide, Benjamin offered a nod to confirm he was listening. That also allowed him to notice the way her voice cracked when she mentioned Mazikeen and her hold on the wheel tightened slightly, meaning that was who she was trying to impress. He wasn't sure if Izzy noticed it herself, but Benji could tell that the woman was someone special. Then again, so was Isadora.

Clearing his throat, Benjamin then lowered the coffee cup he had finished by now. "Chloe isn't scary. Okay, kind of intimidating, with the eyebrows, I guess. But, she's a sweetheart. I think you'll notice that tonight", he smiled when he thought about his sister-in-law, and in response, Izzy burst out laughing.

"It's totally the eyebrows! She is super pretty and professional, though", she ended up groaning, and although Benjamin deemed her a somewhat social, open person, it was obvious that she was stepping out of her comfort-zone for this one. Benji couldn't relate — he got along with everyone and anyone and had never come across someone who had intimidated him in any way, but he did carry sympathy for the girl. Although, if he had to think of someone that tugged on his heartstrings almost too tightly, the name Lucifer Morningstar instantly forced its way into his head, along with the perfectly sculpted image of his flawless face.

Nudging Izzy, just slightly to keep them securely on the road, Benjamin winked. "Are you saying you're not pretty and professional? Ever consider glasses, Dora?", he teased, and from the glare that Izzy sent his way, he gathered that it wasn't a nickname she particularly liked. However, instead of accepting any arguments from the redhead, Benjamin continued with, "You do realize I'm not a girl, right? What is my role in all of this? And who is Ella?", his eyebrow lifting as he turned to the woman again.

"Ella Lopez is the forensic scientist we work with. She's adorable, to say the least. I think you'll love her. And as for your part in all of this...", Izzy inhaled, shrugging slightly, "I just wanted a friend to show up with. You're my friend, I suppose. And also, I've heard that you and Lucifer have a thing or something, so...", and although she tried to swallow her last words to avoid Benjamin hearing and clinging onto them, she failed and the man's eyes blew wide with shock.

"A thing? Where did you hear that? We do not— oh my god, I don't have things with guys. I mean, I don't do feelings. So whoever told you that, is lying, my girl. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have a thing for Lucifer, and I doubt he has it for me, either", he shook his head, clearly upset with this rumor, and clearing her throat, Izzy then shuffled awkwardly on her spot. Narrowing his eyes at her, Benji managed to pressure her into continuing with a mere intent gaze, and coughing, she eventually spoke up.

"It was actually Lucifer who told me", she revealed, and squeezing his eyes shut, Benji sighed.

He wasn't sure if it was a bad thing or a good thing, and even more so, he had no clue what he had gotten himself into.

—————

was filled with good vibes and some kind of tension in the air, which made Benjamin move his head along the beat of the music and scan the crowd curiously, but it didn't take him long to find exactly what he had been looking for. Following Izzy's lead, the man soon enough found himself standing next to her, but also Chloe, Lucifer and a woman he had never seen before — however, putting together the puzzle pieces he had been given, he assumed that the stunning woman wearing leather and visibly holding back a litany of snarky remarks was Mazikeen. It made Benji give Izzy an approving look, and evidently, the woman tried to hide her reddening cheeks but failed.

"Benji! What are you doing here?", Lucifer questioned, his voice loud to boom over the music playing around the club, and his eyes gleaming with excitement. And although Benjamin was usually a pretty cool guy, he couldn't help but end up grinning in his company.

"Yeah, I'd like to know that too", Chloe then interjected, and flashing his usual charming smile at his sister-in-law, Benjamin offered to explain.

"Izzy here asked me to come with her. Obviously, I'm not a girl, though, so whatever girls' night you had planned... I'm out", he shrugged, and the mention of a girls' night clearly surprised Chloe, who turned to Lucifer with a shocked, almost insulted look — even with the little knowledge Benjamin had of Lucifer, he assumed that he had been going at it all day, and much like Benji himself, he never walked away from a challenge. And as her brother, Benjamin knew very well how stubborn and hard-working Chloe could be, with very little relaxation squeezed between the long hours she spent on cases.

"You, me, Izzy. Drinking. Now", Mazikeen nodded in agreement, and as if on cue, another girl showed up — short, dark-haired, and with a cute smile dancing on her lips. From that, Benji gathered that he was looking at Ella Lopez, the forensic scientist, and yes, he did in fact already like her. Perhaps it was the fact that she went in and hugged Mazikeen despite the discomfort that instantly appeared on her face, or that Benjamin was next. However, whereas Maze had tried to avoid physical contact, Benji opened his arms wide open and pulled Ella into a hug, introducing himself as she did the same.

Clapping his hands together, Lucifer broke into a grin and in a blink of an eye, he had already thrown his arm over Benjamin's shoulder, which caught the latter by surprise — nevertheless, he didn't intend on pulling away, even if the sight was getting looks from all the girls in their presence. "Great, then it's settled! The women shall head to the tiki bar Maze knows, and I will stay here with the better Espinoza", Lucifer went over the plan, and eyes widening, Benji gave a look to the man, but didn't protest.

And although reluctantly, Chloe agreed to the plan, as well. Even if she was less excited than the others, and more hellbent on cracking the case she was working on, they all headed out and to the bar Maze had promised to take them to, leaving behind Lucifer and Benjamin, which made the latter's palms sweat. Izzy's words remained in his mind — did they really have a thing? They had only talked twice— though, it didn't remove the fact that they were both attractive, packed with charm and prone to one night stands.

Maybe that counted as a thing.

"Ugh, this really is girls' night", Lucifer was the first one to speak up, and confused by the unexpected comment, Benjamin turned to face the man, only to find his eyes glued to someone else. With his curiosity suddenly awakened, Benji's gaze wandered to the same direction, only to find a disheartened man by the bar, his eyes staring at the pink drink in front of him — until, of course, Lucifer had walked up to him and the man had looked up at the handsome addition to his company. Naturally, by that, Benjamin meant himself.

However, he had to admit that the mysterious, tall and dark stranger by the bar counter, with a Cosmopolitan in hand, was quite the attractive sight. That was why Benji couldn't help but feel just slightly threatened when Lucifer leaned over to him and let his lips curve high into a tempting smirk, as a wary gaze found a home in Benjamin's wide eyes, but much to his delight — which he refused to admit, Lucifer then turned back to Benjamin and tugged on his hand to pull him to the bar counter as well, a gesture that ignited something within the young Espinoza.

"Not-Douche, this is my brother, Amenadiel", Lucifer introduced the man in their presence, and eyes simply widening, Benjamin shot a curious look to Amenadiel before offering him his hand. Quickly, Lucifer's brother had accepted the gesture and Benji flashed a smooth smirk while gently shaking his hand in a firm grip, with his voice gaining a somewhat flirtatious tone to it when he introduced himself as Benjamin Espinoza — yes, Espinoza, but far more fun than Dan. It rolled off of his tongue naturally, like a habit he couldn't shake off, but it also made him notice the look in Lucifer's eyes, and somehow, it was almost satisfying.

"Okay, that's enough of that", Lucifer rolled his eyes, before lifting his finger at the bartender and ordering bourbons. "No more pink drinks, brother", he advised whilst grabbing Amenadiel's glass and sliding it across the counter, far far away from the other brother, but pouting at the loss of his drink, he knitted his eyebrows together in frustration.

"Cosmos are yummy", Amenadiel defended himself, and nodding in agreement, Benjamin smiled at Lucifer.

"I agree, you know. Don't let the color fool you, Lucifer", Benjamin nudged the taller man slightly, and rolling his eyes, Lucifer admitted his defeat, but that didn't stop him from giving out glasses of bourbon for all three of them.

However, when time had passed and the glasses started to pile up on the counter, Benjamin lifted his finger and shook his head as the bitter taste of alcohol burned the back of his throat in a familiar, tingling manner. "I shouldn't have more. Kinda promised Dan I'd be responsible and all that boring adult stuff", he pointed out, but he didn't get the support he had expected — instead, Lucifer groaned and leaned closer to Benjamin, his lips coming dangerously near Benji's own as they curved higher, and their gazes met.

"Oh, c'mon. Don't tell me you're stopping the party just because Dan told you", Lucifer whined, "somebody's gotta be the fun brother! Trust me, I'd know", before shooting Amenadiel a judging glare, which earned a similar, cold stare from the other brother. Stifling a chuckle, Benjamin looked up at the slightly taller man — not much though, the height difference between them was barely possible to notice, but as Benji looked into Lucifer's eyes, it felt like he was towering over him with several centimeters.

"Um, excuse me — the party isn't over. I'm just... lowering the music, so to say", he shrugged, and still standing almost chest to chest with the youngest Espinoza, Lucifer lifted an eyebrow in disbelief.

The longer they stared at each other, though, the doubt on Lucifer's features transformed into something else, and the smile on his lips grew more wicked and mischievous. "Prove it", Lucifer challenged, his voice low and thrilling when he leaned closer to Benjamin, and shivering under his intent gaze, the man couldn't help but wonder what his next move should be — should he just go for it, or—

Before he could do or say anything, Lucifer's phone began to ring, and although reluctantly, the man eventually pulled away and answered the call — however, his eyes never left Benjamin who exhaled deeply, only then realizing he had been holding his breath in. The words he could hear Lucifer speak into the phone blurred together with the loud music thudding in the back of his head, and suddenly in the dire need of another drink, Benjamin grabbed the half-full glass on the counter and finished it with one quick gulp, which got a look from Amenadiel.

"Well", Lucifer then cleared his throat when the call had ended and he was shoving his phone into the pocket of his jacket. "That was the detective. Apparently, there's a party that I must infiltrate with Detective Douche", he explained, and eyes widening, Benji couldn't help but snort at the idea — as if his cop brother could do that. He was talented, for sure, and a great cop, but that was just it — he was a cop, and it was obvious.

Grinning suddenly, Lucifer placed a hand on Benjamin's shoulder, and another on Amenadiel's, before asking the one question they had both been hoping for. "How do you feel about joining me for a fun little party, eh?"

»»»

❤️