Sleep doesn't come. Not even a little. I lie there, staring at the ceiling, watching the shadows shift slowly across it as the night drags on. Every time I close my eyes, it just gets worse. Because the second I do. I see it again.
The lounge.The lighting.Lucifer's face.Daniel.
My jaw tightens. "God…" I whisper, dragging my hands down my face. "Why is this stuck in my head?" Because it mattered.
I turn onto my side, burying half my face into the pillow, trying to suffocate the thoughts. Doesn't work. Nothing works.
Daniel's voice echoes again, clear as ever: "He's not exactly known for… keeping things simple."
My stomach twists. What does that even mean? Was Lucifer… seeing multiple people? Does he go on dates like this all the time? Bring someone home, act gentle, act attentive.
My chest tightens. I sit up abruptly. "No. Stop." My voice is quiet, but firm this time. Because I don't know. I'm making assumptions. Right? …Right?
I reach for my phone. Bad idea. Worst idea. The screen lights up instantly, like it's been waiting for me. Notifications. From him. Too many. I stare at them for a long moment, my thumb hovering just above the screen. I could ignore it. Pretend I didn't see anything. Go to sleep. Wake up tomorrow and act like none of this ever happened. Like he never happened.
Yeah. That's not happening. I open the messages.
Lucifer:You left before I could explain.
Lucifer:That wasn't fair
.Lucifer:…to either of us.
My brows furrow slightly. Not fair? "I wasn't the one with a surprise ex," I mutter. I scroll. My breath catches.
Lucifer:Daniel is my ex.
Silence. The room feels quieter somehow. Like everything just… paused. "Ex," I repeat under my breath. Okay.
That explains something. A lot, actually. The tension. The familiarity. The way Daniel spoke like he knew things. But it doesn't explain everything. My eyes scan the next message.
Lucifer:And he doesn't know when to stop talking.
I let out a slow breath. Part of the tightness in my chest eases. Just a little. But not enough. Because there's still something missing. Something important. Something he didn't say.
My fingers hover over the keyboard again. I shouldn't reply. I know I shouldn't. But the curiosity. The need to understand— It's stronger.
Arlo:Then why didn't you say that?
The typing bubble doesn't appear immediately this time. Seconds pass. Then longer. My chest tightens again. Did I say the wrong thing? Is he not going to answer?
Right when I'm about to lock my phone. There it is.
Lucifer:Because you were already halfway out the door.
I blink. "…Oh." That's. That's not wrong. I was. I didn't even give him a chance. But.
I bite my lip. That doesn't excuse everything. Another message appears. Slower this time. More careful.
Lucifer:And because it's not that simple.
There it is again. Not simple. The same words. The same feeling. My chest tightens, frustration creeping in. "Why does he keep saying that?" I whisper. What's not simple? It should be simple. You had a relationship. It ended. Done. Right?
Unless. Unless it didn't end cleanly. Unless there's something still there. My stomach drops slightly. "…I hate this."
Because now I'm thinking. Overthinking.
And worst of all, I want to know.