Luke's, Thursday

[betterthanaplan]

So. Lucifer had questioned how fulfilling running a diner could be, last week. And it had lived in Duke's head, rent free, ever since.

Which might explain why he shoved his cook aside in the kitchen today, throwing himself into chopping fresh fall vegetables straight from the farm and searing thick, juicy salmon fillets.

"Ha. I am so totally fulfilled," he muttered. And glanced over his shoulder to see his staff all standing there, watching him and muttering. "Are you kidding me over there? Get back to work!"

Today's specials
CATCH OF THE DAY!
Seared salmon with fall vegetables and apple brown-butter dressing

Luke's was open and ocd free.

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

Between the mojo thing and Eric's troubling questions about just how many gifts one parent could possibly give their child, Lucifer was... well, he was repressing. A bit. Maybe.

And what better way to distract himself from all that than barreling right into the thing totally not keeping him up at night?

"Where's Duke?"

[betterthanaplan]

Before the staff could answer, Duke himself could be heard from the kitchen, demanding more turnips.

[my_own_advocate]

"Is he genuinely cooking with turnips today?" Lucifer asked the closest staff member whose name he didn't know. "What is this, the 16th century?"

[betterthanaplan]

That got an eye roll and a shrug from the staff member.

"Luce?" Duke leaned through the doorway. "C'mon back, man, I'm cooking."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer shook his head at said staff member, but he moved towards Duke obligingly, stepping into the kitchen. "Are you actually doing something to turnips right now? Because I do know a fair few wonderful jokes about those."

[betterthanaplan]

"Yes, I'm doing something with turnips. It's a fall vegetable dish. Turnips and brussels sprouts included." Duke gave him a fond smile. "But by all means, let's hear your jokes."

[my_own_advocate]

"Brussel sprouts aren't as funny," Lucifer said. "Though I have seen people use them for similar reasons as the turnips."

He leaned against the counter, torn between going to tug Duke into his arms and... well, standing here snarking, he supposed.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke had his own opinions on that, as expressed with him reaching for Lucifer with the hand not stirring vegetables.

“That sounds like a recipe for infection in uncomfortable places.”

[my_own_advocate]

"That's never stopped anyone from putting anything anywhere," Lucifer said, and stepped towards Duke. Because now not doing so would be a rejection, and he was absolutely not doing that.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke appreciated his refusal to reject him. He shifted to wrap his arm around Lucifer and give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“True. People are deeply silly that way.”

[my_own_advocate]

"So I take it today has been productive," Lucifer said, faintly amused (and not at all going back and forth about asking Duke about the mojo'ing again, no).

[betterthanaplan]

Of course not! He was clearly totally past that. Much like Duke was totally past obsessing a bit about Lucifer inadvertently questioning whether Duke’s life had purpose.

“I’d say so.” He scooped up a bit of his apple brown butter vinaigrette and offered it to Lucifer. “Here, try this.”

[my_own_advocate]

Because clearly purpose was the same thing for mortals who'd been born thirty years ago and immortals who'd been created at the dawn of time! They were both being terribly logical beings.

"If you insist," he said, leaning over to taste it. "... All right, that's quite nice. Makes me crave pie, honestly."

[betterthanaplan]

“It is our season,” Duke noted. “Maybe I’ll make one for dinner tonight.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Octavia would certainly enjoy that," Lucifer said, leaning back. "How much longer do you have on this one?"

[betterthanaplan]

“Probably a few minutes,” Duke said. “I need to —“

“— give his actual cook the stove back,” Greg suggested. “And go snuggle your boyfriend somewhere else.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Nobody asked you, Dave," said Lucifer, who had no idea who any of these people were because he'd only recently even bothered to start showing up to the diner.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke turned his head to laugh against Lucifer’s hair as Greg snorted and stormed off.

“I’m so bringing you in next time I need to threaten to fire them.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Mm, do you think I might be more threatening if I tell them I'll speak to the manager than when their actual manager threatens them?" Lucifer teased, grinning in spite of whatever they weren't talking about.

[betterthanaplan]

“Well, they already know I’m a pushover. You’re an unknown quantity. You might fill their break room with potted plants.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Potted plants," Lucifer echoed dubiously.

[betterthanaplan]

"Like you did with the axe range?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, but I would never put those in a break room, that doesn't make any sense," Lucifer said.

Honey, nothing about what you did in that club made much sense.

He kissed Duke's cheek. "I'll go wait out front, then?"

[betterthanaplan]

"I'll be out in a minute, yeah." Duke gave him another fond smile, then turned back to the stove.

"Okay, but seriously, where are my turnips, Benny?!"

[my_own_advocate]

"Turnips," Lucifer muttered, shaking his head as he retreated to the seating area.