I don't remember deciding to stay longer. It just… happens. One minute we're sitting there after the kiss, still figuring out how to breathe normally again, and the next, I'm still on his couch.
Still close. Still holding his hand. Like leaving isn't even an option anymore. "…You're staring," Lucifer says.
I blink, snapping out of it. "I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm thinking."
"That's worse."
I let out a quiet huff, turning my head away slightly. "…Can you not comment on everything I do?"
"No." I glance back at him. "…You're annoying."
"And yet," he says calmly, "You're still here."
I open my mouth. Pause. Then close it again. "…Shut up."
A small smile appears on his face. Not smug. Just… warm. And it hits me again. How easy this is starting to feel.
Which is weird. Because nothing about this should be easy. We barely know each other. We met in a club. I woke up in his house. We went on one chaotic date. His ex showed up. I ran away.
And now, I'm back here. Holding his hand. Like this is normal.
"…This is kind of insane," I mumble. Lucifer tilts his head slightly. "Which part?" "All of it." He considers that. Then nods once.
"Fair." A quiet pause settles between us. But it's not awkward. Not heavy. Just… comfortable.
I shift slightly, relaxing into the couch more, my shoulder brushing against his again. This time, I don't even think about it. And neither does he.
"…Do you do this often?" I ask suddenly. Lucifer glances at me. "Do what?"
"Sit on a couch with someone you just met and...." I gesture vaguely between us, ".....this."
His expression softens slightly. "No."
That answer comes too quickly to be a lie. My chest does something weird again. ".....Okay"
I don't know why that matters. But it does. "And you?" he asks. I let out a small laugh. "Please. I barely even go on normal dates."
"I noticed."
"…Rude."
"Honest."
I roll my eyes, but there's no real bite to it. Another pause. Then.
"Arlo."
The way he says my name. Quieter. More serious. It makes me look at him immediately. "…Yeah?"
There's a slight hesitation. Just a second. Then.
"I'm glad you came back." My breath catches.
Because that. That wasn't casual. That wasn't teasing. That was real. And I don't know what to do with that.
"…I almost didn't," I admit. "I know." That makes me frown slightly. "How?"
He glances at our hands. "…You seem like the kind of person who runs when things get complicated."
I stare at him. "…Wow."
"I don't mean that badly."
"You kind of do."
A small pause.
Then. "…Maybe a little." I nudge him again with my shoulder, but it's weaker this time. Because he's not wrong. I do run. I almost did.
"I'm still here," I say quietly. His grip on my hand tightens just slightly. "I know." And that.
That feels like something. Something important.