Morning light filtered through the half-drawn curtains of Lucien's study, casting long shadows across the floor and illuminating dust particles that danced in the air.
Case files lay spread across his desk in meticulous arrangement - crime scene photos, autopsy reports, and his own handwritten notes forming a mosaic of human depravity.
Lucien leaned forward in his chair, eyes focused on a particular photograph. Three victims in as many weeks, all with the same peculiar markings carved into their sternums.
He reached for his coffee, finding the mug empty and cold.
The door to his study burst open with dramatic flair.
"Enough," Katherine declared, striding into the room with the confidence of someone who owned every space she entered. "You've been staring at dead people for days."
Lucien didn't look up. "I'm working."
"You're obsessing," Katherine countered, perching herself on the edge of his desk. She wore dark jeans and a crimson blouse that complemented her olive skin.
Her fingers trailed across the edge of a crime scene photo. "The dead will still be dead tomorrow."
"And their killer will still be free," Lucien replied, finally meeting her gaze. "Unless I find the connection."
It hasn't been too long since he's become a consultant- to not have the image of an arrogant rich boy, plus not having every case he partakes in, the criminal be dead or gone, he's decided to help with cases that aren't related to the supernatural,
Katherine tilted her head, dark curls cascading over one shoulder. "When was the last time you left this house for something other than hunting or consulting?"
Lucien's silence was answer enough.
A soft knock on the door frame drew their attention. Elena stood in the doorway, hesitant where Katherine was bold. She wore a simple blue dress, her dark hair pulled back in a loose ponytail.
"Sorry to interrupt," she said, her voice gentle. "I was wondering if you'd seen my notebook? The one with my nephilim training notes?"
Before Lucien could respond, Katherine seized the opportunity. "Elena, perfect timing. Tell our workaholic brother here that even Sons of God need days off."
Elena stepped into the room, her movements graceful yet uncertain. "Well... balance is important. Even Death takes vacations, according to the myths."
"Death doesn't take vacations," Lucien muttered, but his tone had softened.
"Have you ever seen Chicago properly, Elena?" Katherine asked, a strategic glint in her eye.
Elena shook her head. "Not really. Between training and everything else..."
"That settles it," Katherine declared, standing up and closing the case file Lucien had been studying. "We're going out. The three of us. Today."
Lucien opened his mouth to protest, but Elena spoke first.
"I'd like that," she said quietly, her eyes meeting his. "If you have time, of course."
Something in her expression - hope mingled with uncertainty - made Lucien's resistance crumble. He glanced at the closed file, then back at the two women watching him expectantly.
"Fine," he conceded with a sigh that didn't quite mask his affection. "One day."
Katherine's triumphant smile was immediate. "Excellent. Wear something that doesn't scream 'I hunt monsters in my spare time.'"
An hour later, Lucien stood in his bedroom, buttoning a charcoal shirt that Katherine had selected from his closet. She moved around the room with purpose, occasionally holding up ties before discarding them.
"No tie," she finally decided. "We want relaxed, not board meeting."
Elena sat on the edge of the bed, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "Is this okay?" she asked, glancing down at her outfit. "I wasn't sure what to wear."
Katherine paused her rummaging to assess Elena. "Perfect. Conservative enough not to draw attention, but still lovely." She shot a meaningful look at Lucien. "We wouldn't want to attract unwanted eyes, would we?"
Lucien's jaw tightened imperceptibly. The thought of strangers looking at Katherine or Elena made something stir within him - a possessiveness that had only grown stronger over the years.
"No," he agreed, his voice low. "We wouldn't."
A knock on the open door revealed Klaus, leaning against the frame with his characteristic smirk. "Family outing?"
"Just us three," Katherine replied smoothly. "Lucien needs a break from staring at corpses."
Klaus's eyes flickered with amusement. "Take the limousine. No sense in dealing with parking."
"We'll drive ourselves," Lucien said, his tone making it clear the matter wasn't up for discussion.
Klaus raised his hands in mock surrender. "As you wish." He turned to leave but paused, glancing back at Lucien. "Enjoy your day, son."
The word hung in the air for a moment before Klaus disappeared down the hallway.
As they made their way through the mansion's grand foyer, Stefan appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Chicago today?" Stefan asked, descending the stairs.
Lucien nodded. "Katherine's idea."
"Always is," Stefan replied with a knowing smile. "Enjoy it. You've earned some peace."
The unspoken message beneath his words was clear: Be vigilant, but allow yourself this moment.
Stefan was his Champion- but he trusted Katherine enough to be where he isn't- since she is Lucien's second Champion.
Her evolution from long ago, having as time went on, become... more.
------------------
The grand staircase of the Art Institute of Chicago teemed with visitors - families with children, art students with sketchbooks, tourists with cameras.
Yet as Lucien ascended the steps flanked by Katherine and Elena, a curious phenomenon occurred. People unconsciously shifted away, creating a small bubble of space around the trio.
"First stop on our tour," Katherine announced, gesturing grandly at the entrance. "A bit conventional, I know, but Elena mentioned she's never been."
Inside, they moved through the European paintings gallery. A docent approached, clipboard in hand.
"Welcome to the Art Institute," he began, his eyes fixed on Lucien. "Today's featured exhibition is-" He paused, blinking rapidly, his gaze sliding past Katherine and Elena as if unable to focus on them. "Is there anything specific you'd like to know about the collection, sir?"
"We're just browsing," Lucien replied, noting the man's discomfort.
As the docent hurried away, Katherine leaned close to Elena. "Humans," she whispered with amusement. "They can sense something's off, but they can't quite put their finger on it."
Elena watched the retreating docent with fascination. "Does that always happen around Lucien?"
"You haven't noticed it, because your Daddy Klaus has kept you out of eyes, but it's Lulu's nature that creates a... let's call it a passive aura," Katherine explained.
"Most humans instinctively avoid looking directly at what belongs to him." She smiled, clearly pleased to be counted among those possessions.
They moved through the galleries at a leisurely pace. Before Monet's "Water Lilies," Katherine reminisced about Paris in the 1870s.
"I met him once, you know," she said, studying the painting. "Monet. Terribly serious about his work. Unlike Picasso - insufferable man, all ego and wandering hands towards women."
"You never mentioned meeting Picasso," Lucien noted, his interest genuinely piqued.
Katherine shrugged elegantly. "There are many things I haven't told you yet. I have to maintain some mystery."
When they reached "American Gothic," Elena stopped, her head tilting slightly as she studied the painting.
"There's such loneliness in it," she observed quietly. "They're together but separate somehow. Connected but isolated."
A security guard passed nearby, his eyes skimming over them without registering their presence. Katherine watched this with satisfaction.
"It works on most humans," she whispered to Elena, "but would be less effective on supernatural beings. Vampires, witches - they might sense something unusual about Lucien, but they wouldn't be completely deterred."
"Have you always had this effect?" Elena asked Lucien directly.
He shook his head. "I never noticed until Katherine pointed it out years ago. It's not something I consciously control - it just is."
Katherine suddenly stiffened, her posture alert. "Speaking of vampires," she murmured, "there's one somewhere in this building."
Lucien's hand moved instinctively to the small of Elena's back. "Threat?"
"No," Katherine replied after a moment. "Just passing through. Probably hunting. Don't think they've sensed us."
The moment passed, but Lucien remained more attentive as they continued their tour.
He thought of extending his own senses, but... He may kill it if it is too weak.
He - and his life force - have become quite the predator to monsters.
--------------------------
At Millennium Park, the plaza surrounding Cloud Gate - colloquially known as "The Bean" - bustled with activity.
Tourists posed for photos, children ran laughing around the sculpture's base, street performers entertained small crowds.
"Come on," Elena said, her earlier hesitation replaced by enthusiasm. "We have to take a picture."
She positioned them before the reflective surface, stepping back with her phone raised.
"Perfect," Elena declared, examining the photo.
Later, they found a relatively secluded spot near the Crown Fountain, watching children dash through the water jets. Katherine's expression grew contemplative.
"I watched them build this city," she said, her voice carrying centuries of memory. "After the Great Fire, it rose from the ashes. I was here for the World's Fair in 1893 - that architectural marvel they called the White City."
She gestured toward the skyline. "Now look at it. Humans are so fleeting, but what they create endures."
Lucien listened with genuine interest. Despite their years together, Katherine still occasionally surprised him with fragments of her past.
"Did you meet anyone famous at the World's Fair?" Elena asked, drawn into the history lesson.
Katherine's smile turned secretive. "Tesla. Brilliant man. Terrible dancer."
A small child, perhaps four years old, approached their bench, staring at them with unabashed curiosity.
Unlike the adults who unconsciously avoided them, the child's gaze was direct and unwavering.
"Pretty," she said, pointing at Katherine.
Before any of them could respond, the child's mother appeared, gently pulling her away.
"I'm so sorry," she apologized, her eyes fixed on a point just past Lucien's shoulder. "Lily, we don't bother people."
As they walked away, Elena watched thoughtfully. "Children see more clearly than adults, don't they?"
"Their instincts haven't fully developed," Lucien explained. "They haven't learned to look away from things that unsettle them."
"Were you like that?" Katherine asked Elena. "Before your nephilim nature awakened?"
Elena considered this. "I don't think so. I was always... aware of things other kids weren't. Shadows that moved differently. Voices in empty rooms." She smiled sadly. "My parents thought I had an overactive imagination."
The conversation lapsed into comfortable silence as they watched the fountain's changing faces.
They found a secluded corner table at a charming café overlooking the river. The waitress, a young woman with a nervous smile, addressed only Lucien when taking their order.
"Coffee, black," he said. "Tea for the lady, and-" he glanced at Katherine.
"Your specialty drink," Katherine finished smoothly. "The one with the... special ingredient."
The waitress nodded, her eyes never quite focusing on Katherine. "And would you like anything else?"
"The chocolate cake," Katherine decided. "The one in the display case."
"That serves four people," Lucien pointed out after the waitress left.
Katherine's smile was mischievous. "Are you counting calories now? Live a little."
When their orders arrived, the cake was indeed impressive - three layers of dark chocolate with ganache between each tier.
Katherine cut generous slices for each of them, though she barely touched her own.
"I prefer liquid sustenance," she explained with a wink.
As they talked, Elena took a bite of cake, unaware that a small dab of chocolate frosting remained at the corner of her mouth. Lucien's eyes fixed on the spot, his conversation trailing off mid-sentence.
Without warning, he leaned across the small table, his face inches from hers. Elena froze, eyes widening as Lucien gently kissed the corner of her mouth, his tongue briefly touching her skin as he removed the chocolate.
When he pulled back, Elena's face flushed crimson, her hand rising unconsciously to touch the spot.
"You had chocolate," Lucien explained simply, his tone casual, but his eyes told a different story.
Katherine watched with amused satisfaction, taking a deliberate sip of her blood-infused drink. "If I'd known chocolate was the way to break through your reserve, I'd have ordered cake years ago."
Elena remained flustered throughout the rest of their time at the café, stealing glances at Lucien when she thought he wasn't looking.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows as they strolled along the Chicago Riverwalk.
Katherine walked arm-in-arm with Lucien, while Elena moved slightly ahead, occasionally turning to point out interesting boats or architectural details.
"The Wrigley Building," she noted, gesturing to the gleaming white tower. "It's beautiful."
A cool breeze swept off the water, causing Elena to shiver slightly. Katherine immediately removed her light jacket and draped it over the younger woman's shoulders.
"You're always cold," she observed, adjusting the collar. "We need to get you better circulation."
"Is that possible?" Elena asked, grateful for the warmth.
"With the right training, yes," Katherine replied. "Your nephilim nature should give you better control over your body's functions than ordinary humans."
Lucien watched this interaction, appreciating it quietly.
The protectiveness Katherine showed toward Elena had evolved over the years from strategic to genuine - a change he found both surprising and satisfying.
She seemed about to ask another question when Katherine suggested they continue toward Navy Pier.
"The view from the Ferris wheel at sunset is worth seeing," she said, though her tone suggested she had more than sightseeing in mind.
Navy Pier bustled with tourists and locals alike, yet the crowds unconsciously parted for them as they walked. Katherine insisted they ride the Centennial Wheel despite Lucien's initial reluctance.
"It's a tourist trap," he protested.
"Exactly," Katherine replied with a smile. "Today you're a tourist, not The Gavel."
In the privacy of their gondola suspended above the city, Katherine's demeanor shifted.
She moved to sit beside Lucien, her hand sliding behind his neck as she pulled him into a deep kiss- he wasn't surprised.
He's always sensing their emotions. Taking peace, and pleasure from being their 'Number One' as he calls it.
Elena watched from the opposite bench, her expression a mixture of embarrassment and fascination.
When they separated, Katherine's eyes held a gleam. "See? Some tourist traps are worth the visit."
As they exited the wheel, they approached a booth, where a middle-aged woman with hennaed hair and multiple scarves sat behind a small table.
As they drew near, her expression changed from welcoming to wary. She stood abruptly, gathering her cards.
"I'm closing," she announced, though it was clearly the middle of her business hours.
"We just wanted a reading," Elena said, confused by the reaction.
The fortune teller's eyes darted between them, lingering longest on Lucien. "My cards are not meant for beings like you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Find your answers elsewhere."
She closed her booth entirely, leaving Elena thoughtful about how others might perceive them.
"You think she sensed something?" Elena asked.
"Come on little sis, is that really a question? Of course she did, otherwise, she wouldn't act like that." Katherine answered with a teasing smirk, as she leaned toward her, hugging her side ways.
Elena felt a bit embarressed - as well as a bit happy like always at being called 'little sis' - but was quick to defend herself, "Well, excuse me, for considering that maybe, she was just tired." though she herself felt her excuse to be weak.
As the sun began to set, they found themselves at a scenic overlook watching the city lights come alive. The transition from day to night painted the sky in shades of orange and purple, reflecting off the glass skyscrapers.
Katherine stood behind Lucien, arms wrapped around his waist, chin resting on his shoulder. "Worth leaving your study for?" she murmured.
He didn't answer, but his relaxed posture was reply enough.
Elena captured the moment with her phone, taking photos of the skyline. Katherine insisted on taking a picture of Elena and Lucien together, and without hesitation, he put his arm around Elena's shoulders, drawing her close.
The resulting photo showed Elena beaming while Lucien looked at her rather than the camera, his expression unguarded for once.
"We should frame this," Katherine declared, examining the image. "Proof that Lucien Winchester-Mikaelson can actually relax."
-----------------------
Adler was the most exclusive restaurant in Chicago, with a months-long waiting list.
Yet when they arrived, the maître d' immediately escorted them to the best table - a corner location with views of both the city skyline and the restaurant's elegant interior.
"We don't have a reservation," Elena whispered to Katherine as they were seated.
"We don't need one," Katherine replied with a wink.
The maître d' addressed Lucien, "Will there be anything special you require this evening, sir?"
"No," Lucien replied simply. "Thank you."
As the man departed, Elena noticed that other diners had unconsciously angled their chairs away from their table, creating an island of privacy in the crowded space.
Katherine ordered wine with confident familiarity, selecting a rare vintage that impressed even the sommelier. "The '82 Bordeaux," she said. "I remember the summer it was harvested. Exceptional weather that year."
Their conversation flowed naturally now, touching on art they'd seen, changes in Chicago over decades, and plans for future outings.
For the first time all day, Lucien seemed truly present rather than mentally cataloging threats or analyzing surroundings.
Over appetizers, they discussed Elena's developing nephilim abilities.
"Your progress with using your grace has gotten pretty good," Lucien noted. "Better than mine to be honest- I don't have an angelic core regenerator. I can only feed my grace, soul scraps, unlike you- who can do both."
"Oh dear, don't tell me," Katherine began with a teasing tone, as she leaned closer, her warm breath against his ear, "Am I hearing right? Is the Great Son of God... jealous of his dear cute little sister 'Lena?"
"Of-" he began, but suddenly fell silent. His brows furrowed as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
"Wait, is he actually considering it?" Elena asked Katherine, who had leaned back from surprise.
She turned to towards Elena, and shrugged,
"Beats me," she began saying. "Like anyone can understand what goes on inside that big brain of his," she said as she tapped Lucien's head with her fingers- Lucien not reacting, unbothered.
Finally, his eyes snapped open, both were looking expectantly towards his answer. He chose his words carefully. "I suppose, to an extent... I am." he admitted.
Before either could respond, the main course arrived, prompting Katherine to share stories about historical figures she'd dined with over centuries- deciding to change the subject, cause both honestly don't know how to respond to that level of honesty and self-awareness.
"Hemingway was a terrible dinner companion," she remarked, cutting into her barely-cooked steak. "Brilliant writer, but he'd drink himself into incoherence before the main course arrived."
"You never mentioned meeting Hemingway either," Lucien said, amused by her seemingly endless historical connections.
"I've lived a long time, my love," she replied with a smile. "Some stories I save for special occasions."
As dessert arrived - a delicate chocolate soufflé - Lucien made a surprising admission.
"I've enjoyed today," he said quietly. "More than I expected to."
Katherine looked triumphant while Elena beamed with quiet happiness.
"We should do this more often," Elena suggested, her voice warm with affection. "Balance, remember?"
Lucien's mouth slightly twitched, nearing a smile at her choice of words.
He was about to respond when a shocked voice cut through the restaurant's ambient noise:
"Katherine..."
As the three, turned to see who had called her, they saw Damon Salvatore standing there, mouth and eyes wide in shock.
-----------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
Do tell me how you found it.
I decided to show more of Lucien's possessiveness outside of only private moments- since he's gotten a lot more comfortable with expressing it to others, the side effect of that being... quite apparent in the chapter.
Like- he's a Yandere, I gotta show it.
Also, yeah, Damon's here. That's gonna be fun.
Last time Lucien met him, Lucien barbaqued him with Force Lightning.
Well, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)