When the front doors to the hotel opened in the early afternoon, Husk had expected Charlie and Vaggie, who were out putting up posters in town. Instead he was greeted by Lucifer’s wide smile. He put the glass he had just been cleaning away, starting to prepare him a drink without waiting to be asked.

Lucifer had taken to the habit of asking for anything that he hadn’t tried before, exploring the wide variety Husk had to offer. Husk did notice he seemed especially fond of fruity drinks, though he knew how to appreciate almost everything he had been offered so far.

Sliding onto one of the stools in front of the bar, Lucifer made himself comfortable. “Good afternoon, Hunk. On your own today?”

 

Husk did a double take. What did he just call him?

 

Lucifer didn’t seem to have noticed that he got his name wrong, still wearing that same smile, nothing on his face telling him that he had said it on purpose either.

He couldn’t help the small grin that snuck its way onto his face.

“I am. Charlie’s out hanging up posters if you’re looking for her.”

Lucifer didn’t pick up on the amusement in his voice, instead watching Husk’s movements closely. He seemed to watch his hands a lot. He’d caught him watching them on several occasions while he was preparing drinks or cleaning glasses.

That wasn’t the only thing he’d noticed in how Lucifer watched him, however. He didn’t miss the glances thrown his way, no matter how stealthy Lucifer thought he was being. He saw the way Lucifer would smile when he thought he wasn’t looking, but Husk had always had a keen eye. You had to be aware of where others were looking if you wanted to avoid getting caught playing dirty after all.

His slip-up seemed to be way more than just that, once you took everything else into account.

 

Husk slid the finished cocktail across the shiny bartop, Lucifer’s eyes following the movement. “Tell me what you’re really thinking about, sir.”

Lucifer’s eyes moving up from Husk’s hands to his face. “About what?”

“You have no idea what you called me when you came in here, do you?”

“Your name?”

“Then tell me, what exactly is my name?”

Lucifer opened his mouth to respond, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Husk watched the blush on his face slowly spread across his cheeks as it dawned on him what he had actually said, eyes growing wide. “Oh, fuck.”

Husk couldn’t help but grin at the expression on his face, looking like he had been caught in the middle of something he shouldn’t be doing.

“So ‘hunk’, huh?”

Lucifer buried his face in his hands, but that didn’t make much of a difference when the light from his blush slipped between his fingers. “Please forget I said that.”

“That’s not happening.” As Lucifer peered up at him from between his fingers, Husk met his eye. “I don’t mind it.”

Lowering his hands, Lucifer stared at him in surprise. “You don’t?”

“No. You’ve already made it pretty clear that you’re into me.” At Lucifer’s sceptical look, Husk laughed. “You’re not nearly as stealthy as you think you are.”

“I, uh. Didn’t realise I was being that obvious.”

Lucifer fiddled with his drink as he avoided Husk’s eye. As he watched the blush on his face grow ever brighter, he couldn’t help but smile.

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