(For this prompt meme)

This originally was meant to be a like 500 word coffeeshop!AU purely to troll you because I was under the (erroneous) impression that only I still like coffeeshop!AUs. And then, uh, it grew a plot and things so anyway here’s the first 650ish words of this multi-chapter fic that is not anywhere near finished yet.

9. “You come here often?” “Well, I work here. So I think I’d have to say ‘yes’.”

“You come here often?”

“Well, I work here. So I think I’d have to say ‘yes’.”

Chloe didn't look up from her phone as she responded to the clichéd line, hoping the guy would get the message and fuck off. She didn't want to spend her fifteen minutes fending off a creep's advances. Or have to go back inside before her time was up. It wasn't like the alley behind "Latte Nights" was a particularly nice place to hang out, but it was a nice day and it smelled slightly less like coffee than the inside of the shop.

"What a coincidence," the guy said, coming to stand next to her. "So do I."

She glanced over at him, taking in his expensive suit, carefully coiffed hair, shiny shoes, the ostentatious ring, and the fancy cigarette case in his hand.

"No you don't," she said and went back to scrolling through the news on her phone.

"At Lux," he clarified, sounding amused.

The coffee shop did share the alley with the night club, what with being on the ground floor of the building next door and all. But she was pretty sure she knew all the bartenders, and patrons wouldn't be caught dead in an alley. And, most importantly, it was far too early for the club to be open.

"Doubtful," she said.

The guy was silent for long enough to pull out a cigarette and light it, taking a drag as she sidled down the wall a little ways. He didn't follow her, but he did say, "Alright, I suppose that's true, but I am the owner. Surely that counts for something?"

"I'm not sure what you're hoping it'll count for, buddy," she snapped as her phone started to buzz with her alarm. It was time to get back to work.

She turned without a word and stalked toward the back door to the shop, wishing she could slam it behind her. That was the only break she got today, and she had been looking forward to the fifteen minutes of peace.

"Everything alright?" one of her coworkers asked, not sounding at all interested in the answer.

"Watch out for the guy out back," she said, pulling her apron back on. "He's a real charmer."

"Oh, you met Lucifer?" Anna asked, a grin lighting up her face and a light blush staining her cheeks. "Isn't he great?"

Chloe stared at her for a minute before turning to the espresso machine, taking a breath so she wouldn't say something stupid, like how men hitting on women in allies weren't anything near "great." Her coworkers didn't like her, but she'd managed to keep her relationship with them less antagonistic at this job than at the last.

Which, she supposed, wasn't saying much.

"Lucifer?" she asked instead, unwillingly intrigued by the name. "Is that his real name?"

"God-given, I'm afraid."

She froze, then reluctantly turned to the counter. Lucifer was standing there, smiling at her in a way that was probably supposed to be charming, a money clip in hand. Anna made a quiet squeak beside her and hurried up to take his order.

"I didn't catch your name outside," he said as he meandered over to watch her put together his sandwich order.

"I didn't give it," she said shortly. A flash of confusion in his eyes had her grimacing inside. She was supposed to be nice to customers, but there was just something about him… "Chloe," she said. "Chloe Decker."

"Well Ms. Decker," he said with a charming grin as she handed over his sandwich and Anna slid the coffee cup over the counter. "It was a pleasure meeting you. And Anna, it was lovely to see you as always, darling, but I must be getting back to the books. Accounting never sleeps, as they say."

"No one says that," slipped out before Chloe could think better of it. But he just winked at her and left, the little jingle of the bell over the door sounding loud to her ears.