14242/When the wee hours arrive

When the wee hours arrive
Date of Scene:	30 March 2022
Location:	Lucifer's Penthouse, Melville
Synopsis:	An odd slice of Afterclub conversation and observation
Cast of Characters:	Sinister, Lucifer, Lois Lane

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Sinister has posed:
As established, weeknights in Lux are hardly as busy as the week-ends, but they can still take a certain toll after a while. It's rare that Sinister ever stays until the closing of the doors, mostly because the quality of thought by the end of a night isn't remotely what it was at the beginning. And a good time for many a soul can often end with thoughts he has NO desire to overhear.

He retired about an hour before closing time, coming up to destress, put his work in order and hang up his coat; divested of vest, shirt undone to reveal skin beneath, he's stretched on the couch, gazing out the window with a glass of wine in hand, rather than stiffer liquor. There's cheese on crackers, too, for a palate cleansing nibble.

The dancing was good though; nothing like skipping across the floor with a skilled partner to elevate the spirit.

Lucifer has posed:
It's about an hour and a half later - so half an hour after closing - that Lucifer finally makes his way up and into the penthouse. Once he arrives, hailed by the dinging of the elevator, he sort of does the same as Sinister had. His jacket is removed, his vest after, tie undone and pulled off, shoes kicked from his feet and he unbuttons the first few buttons from his shirt. He even removes his belt and tosses it..somewhere to be picked up later.

Walking right over to the couch, he leans over to proffer a kiss to his lover, steal a cheesy cracker, and then meanders towards the kitchen. "Something else you'd like or content with nibbling and sipping wine?"

Sinister has posed:
Sinister's head turned before the elevator ding'd. He knew of course, he always does -- listening and observing from the corner of the eye, he's smiling by the time the owner of Lux is walking on by for a kiss; it tastes of smoke and cabernet sauvignon, which is as it should be. A deep breath following it, he curls his toes as he shifts on the couch enough to watch, resting his head on the back.

"I wouldn't say no to some dips, but I think it's mostly covered over here. Sometimes, all you need is cheese." There's a pause then, a light frown bettling his brow together, "I think I was warned once, about eating cheese late at night. I had household staff that were convinced it gave you strange dreams."

Lucifer has posed:
"Well then.." Lucifer says this much and then pours himself a glass of wine and comes back to the couch. He uses his mind to telepathically lift Sinister's legs so he can sit and then put those legs in his lap. He sips at wine, takes another cheesy cracker and then just sort of melllllllttttsssss into the couch. "Well, that was an interesting night. I...am not quite sure about that Clark kid but... Lois is always a fun time..."

Sinister has posed:
"I do not believe for a second, that mister Kent is as bumbling and ill-equipped for life as he makes himself out to be. A consumate actor that fellow; a good trait for a reporter to have, he seems utterly harmless. Non-threatening, saving for when his pen touches paper. They seem a very peculiar match, but then I suppose the same could be said of other people." His toes curl again, shooting the devil a grin at the end of the couch. A look over at the sound system and he starts some soft music, a little more of the 90's early 2000's jams, playing on random.

"Lois though, she's quite a character. I was half expecting her to end up up here by the end of the night, she seemed like she needed... something. I'm not sure what. Perceptive, she is."

Lois Lane has posed:
While Clark and Lois have quite enjoyed themselves, he's made some excuses about needing to be up in the morning and VERY quickly ducked out of the room. Lois stares after him, confused. A little bit disappointed. He disappeared like that so damn often. With a deep sigh, she steps up towards the bar and motions for another martini. "And a shot. Whiskey, I suppose. Something that goes down smooth enough." It seems she's going to drown her loneliness.

That was a half an hour ago and then some, when it's indicated that the club is closing. That gets a deeper sigh from her, turning away from the bar to slightly start her stumble in the direction of the door...

Lucifer has posed:
Back in the club, one of the bouncers that's lingering behind to help make sure staff stay safe while cleaning notices that Lois is just now headed for the door. Hell approach her and then motions to a back corner on the other side of the upstairs bar. "Your presence has been requested upstairs at the Penthouse. It's the only stop that elevator makes..." He'll even lead her to it if desired.

Within the penthouse, Sinister is laying across a chaise lounge style couch only in a slightly longer 'L' design, and Lucifer sits in the middle seat of the couch itself with Sinister's legs over his. They're both eating cheese and crackers, drinking wine, and talking. "Funny you should say that... if she's not run out the front door yet, I've asked my people to send her this way. Poor dear got abandoned by Clark about..." He checks his non-existent wrist watch, "Hour ago? Just after you left, actually. I couldn't personally invite her cause of work stuff..."

Sinister has posed:
"A hair past a freckle ago. I ought to buy you a watch. A nice gold one. You don't strike me as the fobwatch kind..." Sinister sits up a little just to roll his shoulders. "Damn the sods are itchy tonight. I need to devise some sub-dermal scratching mechanism, I think..." he looks over toward the elevator doors though, a grin flashed to Lucifer for the power of first impressions.

THis is after all, a penthouse that literally has a WALL of whiskey. An entire wall. And an entirely ecclectic collection of antiquity.

Lois Lane has posed:
As the bouncer approaches her, Lois blinks in confusion. If she had a few less drinks in her, she might say no, but she's had just enough to still want to celebrate and her curiosity always does get the better of her. "Knew I was still here for a reason!" She huffs out teasingly to the bouncer, and then she turns on the ball of her foot and heads directly for the elevator.

It's just a few minutes later that the thing is opening up, emitting a tipsy, elegant Lois Lane into the room. She's still in her ruffled mini dress and spike heels, not swaying too much on them, so it's clear she can hold her own with the booze. Even if she has had a *lot*. She looks around with a curiously arched brow. "Nice... very nice." Before her pale eyes land on the intertwined pair and she grins just a bit more. "But, if I interrupt..."

Lucifer has posed:
"Not gold though. Maybe silver? Or platinum? That would go with everything. Unless it's white gold. Yellow gold would clash with like, half of my outfits." Lucifer offers this to Sinister just before the elevator dings with the arrival of Lois Lane. He grins and then shakes his head. "Oh no, my dear, you aren't interrupting. In fact, I was partly expecting you..."

Yes, there is a wall of whiskey. All different types and from different countries. It is ALL very high priced, coveted whiskey and the bottles are at various content levels - so they are all drank. However the first thing someone coming into the penthouse might see is the library. Well, it's more like an entire wall of books. There are all sorts, from fiction to non-fiction. There are titles that are only rumored to exist. There are pieces that only seem bound in leather or even paper and have no titles. After that are the trinkets. Namely, a snowglobe, a black wooden box etched with a raven, and another intricately carved box that - if one knows the lore - looks PRECISELY like Pandora's Box.

Sinister has posed:
Sinister curls his toes one more time, then swings his legs off of Lucifer's lap to attempt sitting up. It takes more than one try, mostly because he gets caught in wriggling with his back against the couch cushions. We've all been there, struggling with an itch that is just out of reach. "Oh, hell's bells, that feels a bit better..." he chuckles to himself, gesturing to leather chairs, overlong couch, barstools more comfortable chair-like arrangements. "We're on the wine, but if you'd like another whiskey, I'm sure we can oblige."

There's even a bottle of whiskey that's obviously a Glenfiddig, but the datestamp and specially printed, barnacle encrusted label puts it as being from the White star line, 1912. Sinister gestures at the bar, floating up a tumbler into the air and a wine glass, both of which levitate and wiggle side-to-side to invite a choice. "There's also cheese."

Lois Lane has posed:
There is a touch of an awkward sideways look from her, pale eyes going between the pair on the couch, before she shakes her head slowly and gives them a good smirk, "Look, boys, I'm always up for a good time but I ain't no one's unicorn. Even the hottest gay couple north of Miami. So... if this was an invite for bed, you can save your very special scotch." Besides, she's probably a little more than sweet on hunky and awkward. Or maybe someone else.

"I will take some whiskey before I go. This is... shit. This stuff is WAY too good for me. But... since you offered." She states with a husky laugh, reaching over to grab one of the slightly less expensive bottles to give herself two fingers of the stuff.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer blinks, looks to Sinister, and then to Lois, then blinks again. "Lois..." He starts and then shakes his head. "Once upon a time, I would likely have brought you up here after a night of flirting and tempting. However, I and Nathaniel have a very loving relationship, and we do not share each other. Not with anyone. He's..." A smile crosses his lips then. "Has settled my wild ways when it comes to sexual promiscuity..."

Though he does follow her to the bar as she pours herself two fingers worth of whiskey. "Honestly, I was concerned about you. Since Clark left you here alone, I wasn't sure how you would get back to Metropolis. Besides.." He shifts to let his eyes try and meet her gaze. Hold it for a lingering moment. "If you didn't have a way, I was going to either offer you a ride home or a place to stay for the night and then you can go home in the morning."

Sinister has posed:
Sinister's eyebrow elevated there, at least one of them at any rate, until Lucifer pipes up that is. What the man says actually makes the more staid englishman look down at his lap, with a faint smile and a gesture at the levitating glasses. They settle themselves back down again and composure regained, he looks up and over.

"He's fond of you, miss Lane. It happens from time to time and I honestly have to admit, without rhyme or reason." Pause, beat "Although in this instance, I can quite see why. Shrewd individuals with clever heads on them are far less common than they ought to be. So indeed, we have no designs on your good virtue."

Lois Lane has posed:
The news that Lucifer has settled down with Nathaniel properly gets a surprised look from Lois. Pleasantly so. She tosses pale eyes over her shoulder, narrowing thoughtfully at the Doctor, as if she was now searching for something deeper, something she missed before. Whatever would pin a man like Lucifer down. She's smiling, though. Impressed. She raises her glass in their direction, "Well, congratulations to you both. I can't even get the biggest nerd this side of the Mississippi to properly turn my direction so... you all must have figured something out." She knocks back a good gulp of her whiskey and then turns to pour another.

"Oh... I can get an Uber. We came separate anyway, and I knew I'd be drinking. I might be a proper mess, but I'm not THAT much of a mess." Nathaniel's commentary about Lucifer being fond of Lois gets a slow shake of her head and a roll of her eyes to the sky, "Well, that's foolishness. I'm a hot mess and barely clever enough. Just more clever than most other reporters, but that's not saying much. But...I'm glad you both are happy. It's nice to see."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer smiles gently. "Don't try to figure it out. We're not quite sure how it works sometimes either. We just know that it does. Sometimes we hit points that make us understand, other times we have no clue." He explains this much and then nods his head. "He's not wrong though. You are very dear to me. Not many people I hold in that regard so take it for what it's worth."

Then he listens to her lament a little bit and that causes him to nod his head again. "You're smitten, Lois, I can tell. And Farm Boy doesn't get it. Or he gets it but he's guarding something. Either way... It's not worth getting heavily drunk over, and it's not something you should give up on." A beat. "Also, save your money. I'll have one of my drivers take you home. Allow me at least that, so I can rest easy knowing you got home all in one piece."

Sinister has posed:
"If you're very good, he might even get the driver to take you in the lambourghini, diablo. I really couldn't resist that one," Sinister murmurs, showing no fear of meeting Lois' gaze and returning it with a mild incline of the chin, a very old fashioned kind of recognition in terms. "The only thing that truly seems to be a fixed point in what is otherwise a learning curve, is that I see him for precisely who and what he is and vice versa. Its liberating and rare."

There is a nod of agreement though. "Having watched the two of you, it's rather clear your... protege... cares for you, so I am inclined to agree. There's an elephant in the room that's conveniently covered with a tiny tea-towel and a pair of glasses."

Lois Lane has posed:
Now that she's topped off her second serving of whiskey, Lois nods towards where they were sitting and swans her way over there to plop down near Nathaniel. She's graceful in that drunk, careless way, no tension in her muscles or worry about hiding anything of herself. She crosses her long, stocking clad legs, and takes a deeper sip of her whiskey as she relaxes back in the chair.

"Farm boy is... still my colleague. And awkward as hell, if very handsome. And always there, for good or for ill. Old reliable is... both reliable and boring at the same time. Besides, if we actually ever did anything, I'd *break* him. You know I would. He's too good for me, Lucifer. And hell... you two didn't drag me up here to talk my love life. Or lack there of. How are YOU both doing?" She half hides behind her whiskey glass, ducking away from this talk about Clark, no matter how smitten she is with him.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer considers something for a moment, but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he gives a chuckle when Lois tries to push the conversation off of her and her love life. Asking about how the two of them are doing. There's conversation plenty to be had there, and plenty of whiskey, wine, and cognac to satisfy the alcohol craving. Of course, as drunk as Lois gets, she might realize that neither Lucifer or Essex actually seem affected by the alcohol. Lucifer especially. The conversation will go for as long as any of them will let it, and then with much insistance, Lucifer will make sure Lois gets back to Metropolis safe and sound.