Devil in the Details

By Folc4evernaday (folc4evernaday@gmail.com)

Rated: PG

Submitted: May 2019

Summary: Just what was the favor Lucifer collected on in "The
Nature of Favors"? A Lucifer/Lois and Clark crossover.

Story Size: 1,956 words (11Kb as text)

A/N: Not sure if anyone is aware, but in case you didn't already
know it, NostalgiaKick's birthday is today. Yes, that's right
she's another year older, and what better way to celebrate than
to write a companion piece for one of her and Endelda's fics? In
case you didn't figure it out, this is a Lucifer and Lois and
Clark crossover. This is a prequel to the fic, "The Nature of
Favors."

Thanks to Endelda for helping me put this together!

P.S. I hope you don't mind, Feli, but it wouldn't count as a
surprise if you knew about it beforehand.

***

*Metropolis, New Troy, 1972*

The storm clouds crackled as the rain poured down outside the
towering mansion of the Luthor estate. Headline after headline
covered the front page, whispering of conspiracies and fates that
had turned on the young Alexander Luthor. No longer was the world
looking to Lionel Luthor for guidance and direction but to him --
Alex -- No, *Lex* Luthor.

'*Lex,'* he told himself, straightening his tie in the mirror.

The suit would have to be taken in. Try as he might with the
tailor, he couldn't seem to get it right. Being the ripe young
age of fourteen didn't help matters, but surely a simple
adjustment to his father's suits wasn't too much to ask for.

"Mr. Luthor?"

Lex turned to see his family butler at the end of the hallway,
motioning toward the rugged gentlemen behind him.

"I believe you have some visitors. Detective Henderson and
...," the butler turned to the other man and asked, "I'm
sorry, I didn't catch the name."

"Decker."

Lex felt a hard lump in his throat as he instinctively reached up
to loosen his tie. This was the third visit in the last week.
What was it going to take for these *rat bags*--as his father
would have called them--to let it go? The accident had been
investigated to death. Why couldn't they just close the case?

The detective with a pair of dark glasses and combed back
jet-black hair approached, digging his hands into his coat
pockets as he stood in front of Lex. "Bad time?"

Lex pasted a smile across his face, hiding his irritation as he
responded smoothly, "No, no, of course not. What can I do for
you, Officer Henderson?"

"Detective," he corrected.

"Right," Lex shrugged, nonchalantly, enjoying toying with the
detective even if it was just to throw him off his game. He kept
his composure, keeping a careful watch on his reflexes, careful
to keep the panic that swirled inside him to remain at bay.
Afterall, he hadn't come this far just to give himself away.

"Quite a spending spree you've been on lately, Alex," Officer
Decker remarked, tapping his chin with his index finger and
thumb. "I guess we all grieve in different ways, right?"

"What exactly is the nature of this visit, officers?" Lex
asked, doing his best to remain calm as he watched Decker pace
the corridor, sizing up the room.

"Call it a welfare check, Alex," Detective Henderson said,
taking a step closer. "I mean, it's not everyday a
fourteen-year-old that was on the cusp of being disowned by his
family found himself the sole heir of a multi-billion-dollar
corporation."

"Yes, how is LuthorCorp doing these days? Portfolio looking well
for this quarter?" Lex felt a rush of anxiety-ridden adrenaline
course through him as Decker paced in front of him. Decker's
mouth curled into a smirk -- like a hunter, smacking his lips as
he moved in on his prey.

"I wouldn't know, Officer." Lex swallowed hard as he stared
back at the two men uncertainly.

"Right." A long pause fell across the room, and Lex felt the
hair on the back of his neck prickle with fear.

Was this how it would end? A pair of metal bracelets before he'd
even had the chance to splurge in the reward that was rightfully
his? No, it couldn't end like this. "Well, as stimulating as
this conversation is, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you two to
leave. Early morning." He motioned to the door with his head,
nodding in its direction.

"Right," Henderson nodded to Decker, smoothing a predatorial
smile across his face. "That trust fund won't spend itself,
will it?"

"Careful, Detective, one wouldn't want to be caught in the
crossfires of an investigation of abuse of power, would one?"
Lex warned, feeling a burst of confidence run through him as he
stared down the detective that seemed hell bent on proving his
involvement in his parents' death. The tragic accident seemed
too convenient for the detective who refused to let the matter
go. But he still lacked the one thing he needed to bring charges
against him -- he hoped -- evidence.

"Abuse of power?" Henderson looked to Decker and let out a low
whistle. "Did you hear that, John?"

"Here I thought we were just having a friendly conversation,"
Decker chuckled out.

"Officers," Lex's butler cleared his throat. "I'm afraid Mr.
Luthor has a prior engagement."

The two exchanged a look and nodded to Lex. "Very well,"
Henderson nodded to Lex, moving toward the door before stopping
in the doorway and turning to face Lex. "Just remember, we'll
be watching."

"Have a good evening, officers," Lex felt the venom in his tone
escape as he watched his butler usher the officers out the door.

He let out a sigh of relief and made his way toward the dining
room, preparing to indulge himself in the sweet decadents the
chef had prepared and forget the various close calls he had
endured over the last few weeks. A whiff of chocolate and caramel
teased his nostrils as he entered the dining room. There on the
table, laid out for his sampling were small pastries and a small
sampling of fondues, ganache, and creamy sweet dips for him to
sample. He reached for the spoon, opting to skip the sampling
with the fruits and pastries and go right for the chocolate
decadent of ganache and fondue in the large bowl in front of him.
His butler made a blanching expression as he took a large bite,
turning away and leaving Lex to mull through his current
situation in peace.

The onslaught of close calls, fake grief and heartbreaking
interviews he'd been forced to endure over the last several
months were becoming too much for him. He could feel himself
slipping. Making mistakes he wouldn't have dared allow himself
to make before. How was he expected to carry on like this? He
couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. Everywhere he looked those
intrusive detectives were lurking around the corner, waiting for
him to slip up.

"Nigel?"

Lex called out, looking for the older man with a tired
expression.

"I'm afraid Nigel's stepped out," a voice came from the
corner of the dining room. Before Lex could demand the intruder
show himself the man spun around in the chair he was seated in,
facing Lex with a sly smile that spread across his face, glinting
his dark pupils with intrigue. "Morningstar. Lucifer
Morningstar."

"You seem awfully comfortable for a man who's about to be
skinned alive and have his hide tanned for leather," Lex fumed,
glaring back at the intruder. He didn't know who this
Morningstar was and he didn't care. The last thing he needed was
another unwelcome guest.

"Temper, temper, Alexander.," Lucifer scolded, shaking his head
at Lex with a condescending cluck of his tongue. With a flick of
his wrists, he popped open the expensive bottle of scotch sitting
a few feet away from him and poured a glass. "Now, is that
anyway to treat someone who's about to do you a favour?"

"Favor?" Lex's curiosity piqued as he stared at the mystery
man.

"I'm guessing Nigel didn't pass along his desperate plea for
my help." Lucifer's smile widened as he stood up, holding his
glass of scotch in his hand as he approached Lex. "I hear
you've been quite the naughty boy, Alex. Killing mummy and daddy
to make a quick buck. Not the most original, I'm afraid."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Lex spat,
straightening up as he backed away from the stranger. "My
parents died in a tragic accident. It's in the police report."

Lucifer let out a long sigh, "Yes, I suppose it is." He winked
at Lex. "How much did you pay off the coroner to fudge that
report?"

"What?" Lex felt his face go pale, wondering how Lucifer knew.

"Oh, come on, Alex, you know as well as I do that tragic
accident was a ploy to knock off daddy and given him a taste of
his own medicine." Lucifer let out a sinister chuckle as he
leaned closer. "Believe me, I know all about daddy issues."

"You're out of your mind!" Lex snapped. Try as he might he
couldn't bring himself to leave. There was something about this
Lucifer Morningstar that intrigued him.

"Really?" Lucifer leaned closer, smiling broadly as he
whispered, "Tell me, Alex, what is it you really desire, hmm?"

"I..."

The words fumbled out of Lex's mouth before he could stop them.
He wanted to stop. He wanted to runaway but he couldn't. He
couldn't fight the overwhelming urge to tell his deepest and
darkest desires to this stranger he knew nothing about.

"...really want these overt detectives out of my life. I worked
hard for over a year to plan my parents' murder, and they're
ruining it all. I just want to be left alone so I can take what
is rightfully mine and show the world you don't ever cross Lex
Luthor."

Lucifer let out a sinister chuckle. "Well, well, we certainly do
have a darkened soul, don't we, Lex?"

"Why did I just tell you that?" Lex asked in a hushed whisper.

"Oh, it's okay, Lex, is it? Shedding the old image, I see."
Lucifer's eyes seemed to almost glow with delight as he grinned
back at Lex, "You see, people like to tell me things, those
deep, dark, naughty little desires that are on their mind. It's
a gift. One might even call it a gift from God."

"What do you want?" Lex asked, looking around the room in a
panic. "Money? Stock?"

Lucifer chuckled, pushing Lex away from him. "Oh, don't be
ridiculous, that's not how this works. The question is, what can
I do for you? You were the one that requested the assistance with
a certain pair of officers?" Lucifer took a deep breath, taking
in the sweet aroma in the room. "A quick transfer out of town to
rustle up some feathers should do the trick. Which one do you
want sent packing, hmm?"

Lex's eyes narrowed, and he stared back at Lucifer, uncertain if
he was truly having this conversation. Had he really admitted his
complicity in his parents' murder? Had he revealed himself to
this stranger with just a whisper of a few words? How was this
possible?

"Decker," Lex said with a determined expression.

"Decker it is," Lucifer cheered, holding up his glass to make a
toast. "I'll arrange for the transfer immediately, and you'll
be free to carry on with your murderous plots...and when I need
something in return you will deliver without question." Lucifer
held out his hand for Lex to shake. "Do we have a deal?"

Lex extended his hand to take Lucifer's, "Deal."

Lucifer leaned in and whispered, "Don't cross me, Lex. A deal
with the Devil isn't something you want to break."

THE END