The Chicago skyline stretched beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, city lights piercing the evening darkness.
Despite the spectacular view, Lucien's attention remained fixed on his laptop screen, fingers moving rapidly across the keyboard.
He sat propped against the headboard of his king-sized bed, legs stretched out before him, dressed in casual dark clothing that still managed to exude expense - a black cashmere henley and tailored lounge pants.
Three empty espresso cups sat on the nightstand beside him, him having been working for hours now.
The door opened silently, but Lucien didn't need to look up to know who had entered. Katherine's scent - jasmine and something uniquely her - preceded her into the room.
She approached with feline grace, sliding onto the bed beside him and curling against his side. Her chin came to rest on his shoulder, arms wrapping around his torso as she peered at the screen.
"What are you doing?" she murmured, her breath warm against his neck.
"Mapping potential hunts," Lucien replied without breaking his rhythm. "Chicago and the surrounding areas. There's more activity than I expected."
Katherine's fingers traced idle patterns on his chest. "Anything interesting?"
"Several cases that caught my attention." Lucien scrolled through his meticulously organized notes. "Three disappearances in Evanston with unusual circumstances - victims vanished from locked rooms, leaving behind a residue that tests show is primarily calcium carbonate."
"Snail trails?" Katherine's nose wrinkled slightly.
"Not quite. I'm thinking Nuckelavee."
"The skinless horse creature from Scottish mythology?" Katherine leaned closer to the screen. "Bit far from home, isn't it?"
Lucien nodded. "They're rare, but they've been known to migrate. They secrete a calcium-based substance similar to shell material when they shift between forms."
He switched to another tab. "Then there's a series of deaths in Milwaukee - victims found with their internal organs crystallized."
"Crystallized?" Katherine's interest was piqued. "Like what, gemstones?"
"More like salt crystals. Local authorities are baffled, but it bears the hallmarks of a Salinculus - a salt elemental. They feed on the minerals in human blood, leaving the organs preserved like cured meat."
Katherine kissed his neck lightly. "You know, you could just order our servants to compile this information for you. That's what they're here for."
For the first time, Lucien's typing paused. "I prefer to do my own research."
"Always so independent," she teased, nipping at his earlobe.
"I don't want to get rusty," he said, resuming his work. "Or too dependent on others for information."
Katherine shifted, her body pressing more deliberately against his side. "Speaking of independence, are you still set on that nonsense of actually getting a job?"
This time Lucien stopped typing completely, his fingers hovering above the keyboard for a moment before continuing. "Yeah, I am."
"Why would you waste your time?" Katherine sighed dramatically. "It's pointless."
"Money," Lucien replied simply.
Katherine rolled her eyes. "You're a bloody trillionaire. You don't-"
"No," Lucien interrupted, "Father is a trillionaire. I'm a millionaire, and only after those deals with Uncle Kol, Uncle Elijah, and Father. Breaking that curse on Kol's grimoire, handling those negotiations for Elijah, the other things for Father."
He shook his head slightly. "It's not a sustainable income source. Those kinds of deals are limited."
"You still have all of Rebekah's resources at your disposal," Katherine countered. "A century of service thanks to you breaking her fertility curse five years ago."
"I'm already using a lot of that to protect my family," Lucien said, his voice softening. "And I would've done it for free if Father hadn't forced the deal. I won't leech off her. I'm already using enough for family protection."
Katherine reached over and closed his laptop, forcing him to quickly pull his fingers away before they were caught beneath it.
She lifted the computer from his lap, placing it on the nightstand, then smoothly straddled him in one fluid motion. Leaning down until their faces were inches apart, she smiled mischievously.
"What about me?" she purred. "Don't you want me to be your sugar mommy?"
Lucien smirked up at her. "Don't tease me, or I might eat you."
"Maybe I want you to eat me," Katherine replied, her hips shifting subtly against his. "It's been two weeks since your birthday, since you turned eighteen, and you haven't done anything yet." She pouted playfully. "Makes a girl feel unwanted."
Lucien adopted a contemplative expression, tapping his finger against his chin. "I don't know... didn't you give me a blowjob not too long ago?"
Katherine's expression flattened. "That was a year ago, on your birthday," she said dryly. "You've been - and I quote - 'training against succubus seduction.'"
She rocked her hips deliberately against him. "Can't you just take me already? It's been five years, Lulu, and I've been waiting."
As she continued moving against him, creating delicious friction, Lucien felt his control slipping.
A growl built in his throat as Katherine whispered in his ear, describing exactly what she wanted him to do to her. In one swift movement, he flipped their positions, pinning her beneath him.
"You really are a damn tease," he growled, grabbing her shirt and ripping it open. The sound of tearing fabric was followed by Katherine's excited moan.
Someone coughed from the doorway.
Elena stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
After a moment of silence, Katherine sighed dramatically at the sight of her. "You really have the worst timing, little sister. Barging in the second I'm about to have some fun. Honestly, if this repeats itself, then you'll be like my own personal cockblocker."
"Dinner's ready," Elena said simply, walking into the room and heading toward the large walk-in closet.
"The blue one with the silver trim," Katherine called after her- knowing already what she was planning to do. "Second shelf."
Elena began searching through the neatly arranged clothing, pulling out various items until she found the requested shirt and tossed it to Katherine.
Lucien's brows furrowed in confusion. "When did you set up clothes in my room?"
"A couple of years now," Elena answered, still reorganizing the disturbed clothing. "Both of us have. Since, as you know, we barely use our own rooms for sleep and sleep here. So might as well have a second set."
"Why would you need a second set?" Lucien asked.
Katherine caught his attention with a finger and pointedly glanced down at her exposed chest, now covered only by a black lace bra.
"Okay, fair point," Lucien conceded. "But what about Elena?"
Elena's face turned beet red, though she didn't turn around as she continued arranging clothes.
Katherine leaned up, her lips brushing his ear. "Like you don't know that you just love teasing her till she confesses," she whispered.
"My dear prideful and possessive god, wanting others to submit themselves to him, and will wait for them to do so, unless it becomes necessary for him to take them himself."
Elena finally put the clothes back in place and, still trying to act natural despite her flushed face, said, "I'll go sit at the table. Don't take long - better not make Dad angry."
Katherine pulled on her new shirt and climbed off the bed, kissing Lucien's cheek. "This isn't over," she promised, walking toward the door with an exaggerated sway to her hips that kept his eyes fixed on her until she disappeared from view.
Lucien fell back onto the bed, a smile spreading across his face. "Believe it or not, I'm quite excited for that," he murmured to the empty room.
-----------------------
The Mikaelson dining room exemplified old-world grandeur adapted to modern tastes. The long mahogany table could seat twenty, though tonight only eight places were set.
Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over the antique furnishings, while floor-to-ceiling windows offered views of the Chicago skyline.
Lucien entered to find most of the family already seated.
Klaus occupied the head of the table, naturally, with Elijah to his right and Rebekah to his left.
Kol sat beside Rebekah, idly spinning a knife between his fingers. Katherine and Elena had taken their usual places, leaving the seat between Katherine and Elijah open for Lucien.
"Finally decided to join us," Klaus remarked as Lucien took his seat. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten our family dinner tradition."
"Just finishing some research," Lucien replied, unfolding his napkin.
"Hunting prospects?" Elijah inquired, his tone measured as always.
Lucien nodded. "Several promising leads within the city and surrounding areas."
"Do share," Klaus said, gesturing for the servers to begin bringing the first course. "I'm curious what creatures have been foolish enough to establish themselves in our new territory."
As the servers placed delicate appetizers before each person, Lucien outlined his findings, describing the patterns he'd identified and his theories about the creatures responsible.
The family listened with varying degrees of interest - Elijah attentive and analytical, Rebekah somewhat bored, Kol occasionally interjecting with colorful commentary about his own encounters with similar creatures.
"A Salinculus in Milwaukee?" Kol mused. "I haven't seen one of those since Prague, 1742. Nasty things. The crystallization is rather beautiful, though - almost like the victims are preserved in amber."
"I'm more concerned about the Nuckelavee," Elijah noted. "They're territorial and vindictive. If one has established itself in Evanston, it will not take kindly to our presence."
Klaus sipped his wine, considering. "These creatures can wait. I'm more interested in your other pursuit, Lucien." He fixed his adoptive son with a penetrating gaze. "Have you made any progress in your... job hunting?"
The slight pause before the words "job hunting" carried Klaus's opinion on the matter clearly.
"I've identified several possibilities," Lucien answered. "The Chicago Police Department has an opening for a consultant specializing in unusual cases."
"Playing detective?" Rebekah asked, arching an eyebrow. "How quaint."
"It's a perfect cover," Lucien countered. "Access to crime scenes, information about suspicious deaths, legitimate reason to investigate strange occurrences."
"He has a point," Stefan said, speaking for the first time since Lucien had entered. "It's good strategy. Hiding in plain sight."
"It's unnecessary," Klaus stated flatly. "We have resources, connections. There's no need for you to subject yourself to human bureaucracy and tedium."
"I want to do this," Lucien said simply.
The table fell silent for a moment as servers cleared the appetizer plates and brought the main course. The tension wasn't uncomfortable - merely the usual family dynamics adjusting to a new situation.
"I think it's admirable," Elena offered, breaking the silence. "Having purpose beyond hunting."
Katherine twirled her wine glass between her fingers. "I still think it's a waste of time, but if it makes him happy..." She shrugged elegantly. "Who am I to object?"
"You? Not object?" Kol laughed. "That would be a first."
Katherine smiled sweetly at him. "I save my objections for things that matter, Kol. Unlike some people who complain about everything."
"Children," Elijah interjected smoothly, "let's not bicker at dinner." He turned to Lucien. "I've taken the liberty of arranging an interview for you with the department commissioner next week."
Lucien nodded his thanks, though his expression showed mild irritation at Elijah's presumption. "I appreciate that, but I'd prefer to earn the position on my own merits."
"Of course," Elijah agreed. "The interview merely gets you through the door. The rest will be entirely up to you."
"And what identity will you be using?" Klaus asked. "Lucien Winchester? Lucien Mikaelson?"
"Still have to decide," Lucien replied. "Both have their own advanteges"
An slow smile was on Klaus's face, as his hands were folded in front of his face, "I see. Well, color me intrigued. Do tell me, when you choose."
The conversation shifted to other matters - Rebekah's plans for the upcoming gala to introduce the family to Chicago society, Elijah's business acquisitions, Kol's discoveries about the local witch covens.
Throughout it all, Lucien was aware of Katherine's foot occasionally brushing against his leg under the table, and Elena's quick glances when she thought he wasn't looking.
As dessert was served, Klaus returned to the topic of Lucien's employment aspirations. "I still don't understand this need for independence," he said. "You're a Mikaelson- even in name, since I've acknowledged you. Everything we have is yours."
"That's exactly why," Lucien replied. "I want something that's mine alone. Something I've built, not been given."
Klaus studied him for a long moment, then nodded slightly. "Very well. If this is what you want, I won't stand in your way." He raised his glass. "To new beginnings in Chicago - and to Lucien's... career."
The others raised their glasses, though Kol's smirk suggested he found the whole situation amusing. As they drank, Lucien caught Katherine's eye. She winked at him over the rim of her glass, a promise of what awaited later.
-------------------
After dinner, Instead of returning to his room where Katherine undoubtedly has already gone to, to wait, Lucien found himself drawn to the rooftop garden.
The space had been Rebekah's project - a lush oasis twelve stories above Chicago's streets, with carefully arranged plants and comfortable seating areas.
From here, the city's skyline spread before him, a tapestry of lights against the night sky.
He wasn't surprised to find Elena already there, seated on a stone bench near the edge, gazing out at the view. She didn't turn as he approached, though he knew she was aware of his presence.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said as he sat beside her. "Different from Paris. Newer, more... ambitious."
"That's America for you," Lucien replied. "Always reaching higher."
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, shoulders not quite touching.
"Are you really going through with this police consultant thing?" Elena finally asked.
"I am."
"Why?" She turned to look at him directly. "You don't need the money, you don't need the connections. Why put yourself in that position?"
Lucien considered his answer carefully. "Because I want something normal too I suppose," he said eventually.
"Maybe I share that bit with Sam. Wanting something that is normal. But unlike him I don't want to completely seperate from the supernatural- since I literally am a supernatural being after all - but something of both worlds.
This consultant thing will let me have both. I can actually help people in ways that isn't just through killing. It will be at my own schedule, won't get in the way of hunts, and I may even find hunts along the way."
Him in his past life, having died before he could truly follow a career of his own, was probably also part of it- he remembers how much he wanted to make his parents proud by becoming a doctor.
Becoming a doctor isn't really something on the table for him, if he wants to keep hunting. This way at least, he can still have something of a normal human life.
He won't let it get in the way of hunting though. That will remain priority number one- with the Apocalypse also probably looming closer than ever, he still needs to prepare better.
"I... suppose, I can understand that." Elena finally said.
The moment stretched between them. Elena's eyes, reflecting the city lights, held questions she hadn't yet found the courage to ask.
Lucien found himself leaning slightly toward her, drawn by the warmth of her emotions towards him.
His phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket, breaking the moment. With a small sigh, he checked the screen. "Katherine," he said, showing Elena the text message that simply read: Waiting. Impatiently.
Elena smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes- not out of jealousy, but... Yearning. "You'd better go. She really does get destructive when kept waiting."
"We'll continue this conversation later," Lucien promised, standing.
"Will we?" Elena's voice held a note of doubt.
Lucien reached down, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from her face with unexpected tenderness. "Yes," he said simply. "We will."
As he turned to leave, he felt her eyes following him, but he didn't look back.
For now, Katherine waited.
And despite everything else competing for his attention, he found himself quickening his pace, eager to return to his room where she would be waiting, impatient and demanding and utterly his.
He supposes, it is time to enjoy himself.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
Do tell me how you found it.
So, Lu wants to a job, police consultant, and all that.
What do you guys think? I find the idea fun.
Keep in mind- Lucien's consultation won't be fixed only in Chicago.
This isn't gonna get in the way of hunting- It'll make it more fun.
Something I find a bit more unique than Sam and Dean's normal faking identities, like fake FBI and the like.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)