The party was scheduled for the weekend, which was a few days away, so the two stuck to more pressing matters. At the moment, Lucifer and Ezra were heading towards the outskirts of town.
The abandoned warehouses on the outskirts of Paradise City looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie set. Graffiti covered the crumbling walls, broken glass crunched underfoot, and the air smelled faintly of mold and regret.
"Charming," Lucifer muttered, stepping over what he really hoped was just a weirdly shaped shadow and not some eldritch horror waiting to pounce. "Remind me again why we're here?"
Ezra, looking absurdly out of place in her pristine school uniform, rolled her eyes. "Because you need to learn how to control your powers before you accidentally incinerate half the school. And we can't exactly practice in the gym."
Lucifer sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But if I end up with tetanus, I'm blaming you."
They made their way to a relatively clear area in the center of the warehouse. Ezra set down her ever-present bladeless hilt and pulled out a series of strange objects – candles, crystals, and what looked suspiciously like a human skull.
"Uh, should I be worried?" Lucifer asked, eyeing the skull warily.
Ezra's lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "Relax. It's plastic. Halloween prop. We're going to use these to help you focus your energy."
For the next hour, Ezra put Lucifer through his paces. They started with simple exercises – lighting candles with a thought, moving small objects without touching them. Lucifer was surprised to find that he actually enjoyed it. There was something oddly soothing about tapping into his power in controlled bursts, like flexing a muscle he'd forgotten he had.
"Not bad," Ezra said as Lucifer successfully levitated the skull for a full minute. "But let's try something a little more... challenging."
She pulled out a target and set it up against the far wall. "Hit that," she said, "with the hottest flame you can muster."
Lucifer grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Now you're talking. Stand back and watch the master work."
He took a deep breath, focusing on the core of heat that always seemed to simmer just beneath his skin. He felt it build, growing hotter and more intense until it felt like his very blood was boiling. With a shout of exertion, he thrust out his hand, expecting a jet of hellfire to reduce the target to ash.
What actually happened was... somewhat less impressive.
A tiny spark, no bigger than a firefly, sputtered from his fingertip and died before it made it halfway to the target.
Lucifer blinked, staring at his hand in disbelief. "What the..."
Ezra frowned. "That's... odd. Try again."
Lucifer did, with similar results. No matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn't seem to produce more than a few pathetic sparks.
"I don't understand," he said, frustration evident in his voice. "I've done this before. Hell, I nearly barbecued that Rebis a few days ago."
Ezra's brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe... maybe it's not about forcing it. You said before that your power felt different when you were protecting people, right? Less destructive, more... purposeful."
Lucifer nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess. But how does that help us now? Unless you want me to imagine the target is about to eat a bunch of orphans or something."
Ezra shook her head. "No, I have a better idea." She moved to stand directly in front of the target, arms spread wide.
Lucifer's eyes widened. "Whoa, what are you doing?"
"Giving you a reason," Ezra said simply. "Now, hit the target. And remember, if you miss..."
She didn't need to finish the sentence. Lucifer felt his heart rate spike, a mix of fear and something else – something warmer – flooding his system.
"Ezra, this is crazy. I could hurt you."
Her eyes met his, filled with unwavering trust. "You won't."
Lucifer took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He focused on Ezra – on her steady presence, on the way she believed in him even when he didn't believe in himself. He thought about protecting her, about keeping her safe from all the dangers that seemed to constantly surround them.
And suddenly, he felt it. The power surged through him, different from before. It wasn't the destructive inferno of hellfire, but something purer. Brighter.
He raised his hand, and a beam of brilliant white light shot forth. It passed within inches of Ezra's head, striking the target dead center. The impact left a perfect, smoldering hole.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Ezra turned, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and... was that pride?
"Lucifer," she breathed. "That was... incredible."
Before he could respond, she closed the distance between them and threw her arms around him. Lucifer froze for a second, then hesitantly returned the embrace. He was acutely aware of her warmth, of the way she fit perfectly against him.
"Um, not that I'm complaining," he said after a moment, "but what happened to 'maintaining professional boundaries' and all that?"
Ezra pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushed. "I... that is... good job. On the target practice."
Lucifer couldn't help but grin. "Thanks. I had a pretty good motivator."
Their eyes met, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to crackle with an energy that had nothing to do with supernatural powers. Lucifer found himself leaning in, drawn by some force he couldn't name.
Just as their lips were about to meet, a slow clap echoed through the warehouse. They sprang apart, Ezra already reaching for her sword as Lucifer's hands ignited with that new, brighter flame.
"Bravo," a familiar voice drawled. "Really, I'm touched. It's like a Hallmark movie, if Hallmark made films about fallen angels and their demon-hunting girlfriends."
Valeria sauntered out of the shadows, a knowing smirk on her face. "Don't stop on my account. Things were just getting interesting."
Lucifer felt his face heat up, and not from the lingering effects of his power surge. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.
Valeria's expression turned serious. "Warning you. Your little light show just sent up a beacon for every supernatural entity within a hundred miles. And trust me, not all of them are going to be as charmed by your budding romance as I am."
Ezra tensed. "What kind of entities?"
As if in answer, an ear-splitting shriek split the air. The warehouse walls began to shake, dust and debris raining down from the ceiling.
"Oh, you know," Valeria said casually, examining her nails. "The usual. Demons, dark spirits, maybe an elder god or two. Nothing you can't handle, I'm sure."
Lucifer exchanged a look with Ezra. Despite the danger, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. This – facing down impossible odds, protecting the innocent (and each other) – this felt like his thing, like who he was meant to be.
"Well then," he said, flames dancing around his fingers as he grinned at Ezra. "Shall we give them a proper welcome?"
Ezra's answering smile was fierce and beautiful. "Let's."
***