The Christmas er Yule you get you deserve

"All anguish and pain and sadness leave your heart and let your road be clear."

I Believe in Father Christmas by Emerson, Lake and Palmer

"How can you hate Christmas?" Chloe asked staring at Lucifer with a puzzled expression.

He squirmed slightly but responded with disgust. "Inane holiday celebrating the birth of one of my dad's spawn."

"…and you're jealous because he got more attention than you?"

His eyes lit up. "Exactly! I mean he wasn't even an angel just a mere human."

She raised her brows and gave him a pointed look.

He backtracked. "Not that there is anything wrong with you humans, fascinating creatures for the most part."

She patiently gritted her teeth. "mmhmmm."

He sighed. "Christmas literally kills my buzz – all this worshipping."

She grinned. "Not everyone celebrates Christmas and even those who do are not necessarily religious. Before religion kicked in people used to celebrate Yule at this time of year. So to enjoy some of the festivities why don't you just pretend its Yule you're celebrating?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Pagan Festival – celebrating the return to the light. I like that. Love those pagans- they drank a lot."

Chloe chuckled. Things she used to find irritating about Lucifer she now found endearing. Her partner while at times could be a pain in the ass among other things was never boring.

Dan rushed over to her. "Chloe you have a case. Santa was found dead in the middle of Christmas village. Cause of death hasn't been determined yet but it looks suspicious. Ella is on her way.

"Yule Village!" Lucifer chimed in.

"Pardon?" Dan asked.

"Are you hard of hearing? Yule Village not Christmas Village." Lucifer stated vehemently.

Dan frowned at Chloe who shrugged. "Don't ask."

They arrived at the mall and murder scene.

"Bloody Hell Ho Ho Ho indeed." Lucifer remarked as they arrived at the scene and viewed the body. "Looks like someone indulged in his Ho Ho Ho's a bit too much." Lucifer observed kneeling down by the body.

"Except that isn't what killed him." Ella piped up as she crouched by the body.

Santa sprawled on a sofa with his pants down, lipstick covered certain body parts, and a bottle of tequila lay near the body.

"NO wonder Santa was so jolly with all that extracurricular activities. Perhaps one of his elves gave him a blow job." Lucifer snickered. "Or perhaps a reindeer…Vixen per say?"

Chloe sighed. "Lucifer, dead body, probable murder scene. Show some respect."

"Seriously detective, look at the man, he went out in the best way indulging in his carnal desires."

"Do you see the blue tinge on his lips? It looks like he choked on something." Ella pointed out.

She opened the man's mouth and peered inside. She frowned, picked up some small tongs and pulled what at first appeared to be a piece of cloth out of his mouth.

"interesting." She commented.

Chloe peered closer – it was a garter – brides usually wore them at their wedding.

"Perhaps an angry jilted bride?" Chloe mused.

"Perhaps his performance was just bad and his partner determined he wasn't fit to live." Lucifer speculated.

"Then why a garter?" Chloe asked.

He snorted. "Why anything. Why would any man chose to dress up as an elf and allow hordes of little sticky humans climb all over him, spit up on him, scream in his ear and be altogether annoying?"

"Trixie loves Santa." Chloe informed him.

He wrinkled his nose. "There's no accounting for good taste." He responded disdainfully.

"She loves you too…for some reason." Chloe pointed out.

"Well of course she does…it's me after all." He smirked.

Chloe rolled her eyes.

"How did he even wind up in here after hours? And who was with him? Are there any security cameras?" she asked Dan.

They're checking right now but it doesn't appear that there were any here nor in the bed and mattress section. Hard to shoplift the bigger items." He responded.

Lucifer picked up the empty tequila bottle sniffing it.

Chloe hissed at him. "Put it down! Its evidence and now your fingerprints are on it!"

He sighed annoyed. For the last six weeks he's been even weirder than usual. Something had happened but he refused to talk about it with her anyway.

"He's wearing a wedding ring – has his wife been notified? Chloe asked the officers.

"Yes she's downstairs she came right away.

"Let's go talk to her." Chloe said in Lucifer's direction. "Are you coming?"

He jumped slightly startled, then settled his dark eyes on her briefly.

Ha had that some look that crossed his features every so often since Halloween. Haunted. She had tried numerous times to get him to talk to her to open up but he refused each time. She glanced over at whatever had held his attention. It was a portrait of two brothers grinning at each other. The words underneath stated "Brothers' always". She supposed it was to help sell the frame but she couldn't stop wondering if Lucifer and his brother Amenadiel had had a falling out. She shrugged it off…and followed Dan to the wife.

She was an attractive woman late 40's early 50's, a red head wearing a red dress. Her eyes were red from weeping.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. Do you have any idea who may have done this to your husband?"

"Everyone loved him. He's played Santa for years. The officer told me they suggested it was murder. How exactly did he die?

"It's early in the investigation yet but it appers he was asphyxiated." Chloe told her gently.

"Someone shoved a blue garter down his throat after…"

Chloe jumped to her feet and grabbed Lucifer hauling him out of hearing distance. "Go home!"

"But the woman has a right to…"

The woman is his wife. She just lost her husband whom we can presume she loved. Now is not the time to reveal the sordid details of his death. She's grieving – have some empathy for once!"

He swallowed heavily, his dark eyes reflecting hurt. "Maybe you should follow your own advice, detective." He turned and left.

"She said I should have empathy! All I wanted to do was reveal all the facts to the wife – she would want the truth I would think. Knowing her husband was likely a miscreant would ease her grief wouldn't it?" Lucifer complained to Linda as he sat on her sofa wringing his hands.

"Lucifer, Chloe was doing her job and being a professional. I would think in a murder case one wouldn't reveal all the facts especially not to any potential suspects."

Lucifer shot her a dark penetrating look. "So you are siding with the Detective. Lovely. I should have known it would be a waste of time coming here."

Linda sighed heavily. "I am your therapist not your puppet that nods and agrees with everything you say. You need to look inside yourself and listen to what your conscience is saying. Do you honestly think it was a good idea to tell the woman who just lost her husband all the gory details of his murder?"

Lucifer squirmed uncomfortably but didn't answer.

"Lucifer?" Linda probed.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine."

"Dan," Chloe called him over.

"What was that scene with Lucifer all about? He looked upset when he stormed out of here."

"I'm not sure but you two seem to have, I don't know, bonded over the last while. Could you go after him and make sure he's okay?"

Dan looked disgruntled. "Chloe, were on a case. Do you really want me to go console your upset …whatever he is?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" she replied defensively.

"He's much more to you than just a partner," Dan observed.

Her mouth fell open. "Ewww no! Seriously Dan. Just no. He's just…lost sometimes. I want to make sure he's okay."

Dan grinned and smirked. "Sure, if you say so." He left and headed to Lux. He found Lucifer by the piano looking dazed.

"Hey man, are you okay?"

Lucifer gave him a disdainful look. "I'm fine detective douche no need to concern yourself."

"Cut the crap Lucifer. We both know something isn't right – hasn't been for a while now. You can talk to me you know."

"Pass." Lucifer spit out.

Dan sighed. "Have it your way. IF you change your mind you know where to find me."

"Miming. " Lucifer chirped.

"Improv!" Dan snapped.

Lucifer rolled his eyes and leaned against the piano.

Dan paused and took a deep breath. The club owner was weird most of the time but Chloe was right he was even weirder now than usual.

"So I could use a drink, you want to join me?"

Lucifer threw him a suspicious look but then grinned. "It's a date, Daniel."

"Can you just once not be an ass?"

Lucifer blew him a kiss. "For you Daniel anything."

Dan shook his head, the man was beyond mercurial.

Dan had a beer while Lucifer downed whisky after whisky.

"So what's your aversion to Christmas?" Dan asked since Lucifer seemed agitated and not inclined for conversation.

The man pouted. "My sort of half-brother was born on Christmas Eve and got loads of attention."

"And you were or are jealous?" Dan probed.

"I don't do jealous." His dark eyes narrowed. "It was unwarranted attention, it's not like he could create universes or anything. Rather unremarkable he was – especially since he was human. Besides he's dead."

Dan raised his eyebrow. "I see and I'm sorry for your loss." The man really was a bit of lunatic.

Lucifer regarded him with frustration. "No you don't see at all. That was a long time ago. I don't really care. My other brother is the one who died recently."

"Amenadiel?" Dan asked remembering the man that had come to check out the sex club and had gotten rather inebriated. He supposed the heavy drinking ran in the family albeit Lucifer could certainly hold his own while his brother couldn't.

"No, not Amenadiel. I have er rather had another one."

"Is that why you been so out of it lately?"

Lucifer frowned. "I haven't been out of it – maybe I wanted to be but this celestial body heals far too fast to be drugged or drunk into oblivion."

Dan felt pity for Lucifer. Whatever had happened to the club owner to make him take on the devil persona as a coping strategy must have been overwhelmingly traumatic.

"I'm sorry your brother died. Were you with him when he passed?"

A myriad of emotions crossed Lucifer's face. He swallowed heavily. "Yes unfortunately."

"I'm sure he took comfort in your presence. "Dan assured him.

Lucifer scoffed. "I hardly doubt that" A moment of such agony flashed in his dark eyes that Dan briefly put his hand on Lucifer's shoulder.

"You know we're all here for you if you need to talk."

"Lovely and you'll hug me and pat me on the back and make it all better right, Dan?" He responded sarcastically.

Dan scowled at him. "Just trying to help man because that's what friends do!"

Lucifer had the grace to look chastised for a moment. Slowly he offered Dan a small smile, Dan reciprocated and lifted his glass to toast.."

Lucifer clanked his glass against Dan's.

A/N: This is a two chapter story. Next chapter angst and mistletoe. Stay warm and safe all!