Nervous was not a feeling with which Levi was well acquainted.
He’d never been one for butterflies in his stomach, for stage fright, for performance anxiety. If something was going to happen, it was going to happen; if he was going to do something, he was going to do it. He’d never felt like there was much use in letting himself worry. Que sera, sera and all that jazz.
Apparently, the gods had other things in mind for him.
Because, standing outside of the police station, waiting for Zachary, who – by Levi’s watch, which might have admittedly been running fast – was late, he felt nervous. And not just because he was standing outside of a police station. The uncertainty of what would happen to Lucifer was one thing, but the though of seeing him, the constant wondering of how he was, what would he look like when he saw him,w as he doing okay… it was infuriating, but it was there. He couldn’t seem to help it.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning against the brick wall of the station, and glanced around. Could he get in trouble for loitering here? Should he find somewhere better to wait?
At some point, Zach decided to stop counting the amount of hours that passed since the last time he had anything resembling a break. It had been at least 30 hours since he has gotten more than a twenty minute map, twelve hours since his last drink, and a little over three since he finished his last smoke – though the latter two were likely for the best in the grand scheme of his life. Still, a little vice indulgence here or there could help soften the never ending onslaught of bad news.
And now, there was Levi to contend with. At least he could finally speak to Lucifer face-to-face, even if their conversations weren’t covered by any kind of privilege. But he could let Lucifer know that he was doing his job, trying his best, and working towards his release. Zach wasn’t sure why it mattered so much, but he needed his colleagues and boss to know that he was being hands on with every aspect of Lucifer’s arrest.
The taxi ride to the police station seemed longer than usual but Zach used that time to close his eyes and lean his head back, using the semi-private moment he had to himself to just take a breath and exhale and relax and just–
They arrived just in time for Zach to open his eyes and see Levi leaned against a wall, in a way that he could only describe as the naturally suspicious looking kid trying to look casual. He almost laughed aloud. “Levi,” he called out as he opened the door before swiftly turning and paying the driver. “Shukran. Traffic. Anyway – been in there yet? I’ve got it on good authority that we won’t have much trouble going in to see him.”
They listened quietly, more than casually interested in the way Zachary spun the truth of the situation. He might’ve simply been a producer in name, but Aris could tell that he was much, much more than that, at least with Lucifer involved. He was answering the question like Aris was a reporter or something for a gossip magazine, not a Harvard-trained A.D.A.
“Of course. Touching someone through music, helping someone through tough patches…. through music. It just seems that Mr. Storey has a very intimate relationship with him in particular. But as you’ve said, his bedfellows probably depend on the day of the week. You’ve probably seen him go through dozens, even if you try to keep away from that side of things. I’m sure Levi Baines is nothing special,” they said with a smile.
Aris let the silence linger for a minute, just watching Zachary. Before he gave a little nod and asked, “Is there anything you’d like to ask me before I get out of your hair? I want to be as completely open with you as possible, Zachary.”
Zachary couldn’t tell if they bought it or not but mentally he scolded himself, and reminded himself not to get trapped into talking about levi again. It was hard to keep the disdain out of his voice, even if they were ostensibly on the same side of this one. On top of it all, Levi’s propensity towards crashing and burning now meant he was in the line of fire if some dramatic meltdown or self-destructive plot should occur.
“No, no,” Zach shrugged and cleared his throat as he prepared one of his infamous half-truths, “this was all really informative, counselor. As you can see, I’ve been an open book and I’m glad you’ve been the same. I’m sure we’ll see each again other soon.”
He nodded, once, a tacit agreement to everything Zachary said, though he hadn’t truly decided how much of it he was going to listen to, yet, and he was fairly positive he didn’t believe any reassurance that things would be fine. But at the moment, it was more than pointless to fight him. Sure, Zachary’s ass was on the line just as much as his was, but he had a feeling Zachary wouldn’t hesitate to cut his losses and turn on the whole thing if he was pushed. If Levi pushed him, by arguing.
Zachary, at least, had the means to cut his losses. A comfortable safety net if he decided to untangle himself from Lucifer’s web.
“You got it, chief,” he said, sitting back and watching Zachary get himself ready to go. Part of him wanted to stay here for a while, wait until Zachary was gone and then head across the street, see if he could gather anything about what was happening inside the station without being spotted. But even he knew that was a bad idea, had disaster written all over it.
Zach glanced at his watch and sighed. This short meeting with Levi was only the beginning of what promised to be a very long and draining process. While half of his office was running around like headless chickens, the other half was explicitly looking towards him, as if somewhere in his deep pockets he had the information or the resources to buy out the NYPD or the D.A.’s office. His father used to say money can’t buy everything and that age old wisdom always comes true at the worst possible moments.
“Yeah,” he exhaled slowly as he stood from his seat and walked towards the exit. “Yeah. So, okay, sit tight. I’m going back to the office. I’ll call you when and where to meet me. Just don’t be–” yourself, Zachary thought distastefully, “–do anything dramatic. I’ll see you soon.”
It was more of a concession than he’d expected, probably more than he could have hoped for. Being kept in the loop was really as good as things could get for him, right now, and hopefully, hopefully Lucifer would have a better suggestion when they finally got to see him. Because as tempting as it was to believe that they could hire a lawyer expensive enough to just take care of everything, Levi knew there had to also be another option. Something a little less human that Lucifer had up his sleeve.
“Yeah, alright, I’ll–”
You’ll what? he thought. Sure, it was easy for Zachary to say keep the fans in check, but to actually do it was another thing altogether. If anything, the fact that four twenty-somethings Levi probably didn’t even know had left Lucifer’s concert and killed a man without anyone knowing. It wasn’t like there was a directory of Pantheon fans, wasn’t like he could tweet out something about everyone listening to Lucifer and keeping calm. But he could spread the word, get the truly devoted to listen to him, maybe see if the other gods would spread the word, too. No need to panic, no need to do anything. Just keep your heads down and it’ll all blow over.
He’d feel like a hypocrite, saying it, but Zachary was right. It needed to be said.
Zach waited a moment to see if Levi would continue and he was genuinely surprised when he didn’t slip into another one of his insolent, stubborn tirades. When it came to reluctantly agreeing with him, this was typically around the point in the conversation when Levi would get loud and presumptuous and particularly annoying. But instead, he seemingly stopped himself.
And that made Zach curious. Not curious enough to keep pushing, but just enough to pique his interest and store it away for little.
“Right,” he cleared his throat and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. As he slapped a five dollar bill on the table and signaled for the deli clerk, Zachary continued, “And– and it will be fine. You shouldn’t talk to anyone, by the way, not without a lawyer present. If anyone approaches you, just call me. Don’t stress about this, it won’t do anyone any good.”
“Everyone says that.” It was true, at least in part, there wasn’t a person alive that wouldn’t try and claim that they weren’t like most people. Marisa had quickly found out that most people weren’t being honest about it. They were exactly like everyone else in almost every regard. Who was she to judge Zachary so early though– he might have been different, he could have been someone that was actually worth talking to. Of course, only time would be able to tell.
“Most people also say that,” she says motioning her head towards the bit about not being a rapist. However, she decided to believe that someone with as much pull as Zachary wouldn’t be stupid enough to engage in something that would probably ruin his entire career. Of course, men had been brought down for much less. “I was, yeah. I know a place about ten minutes away from here that has great lemonade or pretty much anything else you’re looking for.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m sure you could handle yourself just fine.”
Zach chuckled aloud and nodded in agreement. She had a good point, after all. Everyone wants to believe that they’re different from the average person, that they can buck the status quo. However, as far as Zach knew, he had at least grown to separate himself from the other assholes that attended his alma mater a decade ago. Is he still an asshole? Probably. But at least he’s a bird of a different feather.
He glanced at his watch as she spoke and gave her a more casual smirk, “I’ll gladly take a raincheck on that if you will. You know, it’s the time of year; even your average guy is too buy to stop and drink a cup of coffee in peace. Maybe I’ll see you around?"
They nodded as Zachary went on, more than willing to leave all of the thinly veiled threats behind them, at least for the time being, until they needed something more concrete from him. For now it was enough just to have planted the seeds and to leave them there to grow on their own. This was just meant to be casual after all. A simple conversation to feel out exactly who they were going to be dealing with for the foreseeable future.
And if they would be able to get him on their side.
“Lucky for you, I like a little mystery. Makes things more interesting,” they said, the smile turning into more of a smirk now. Aris leaned back in their seat and looked Zachary over, another question forming in their head. They’d done their research, they knew the answer already. But they couldn’t help but love throwing another reason for paranoia at him. “I do want to ask you one question, though. And I promise, it’s not about the cocaine that you weren’t snorting at the concert… Levi Baines and Mr. Storey, would you qualify their relationship as lovers? Or maybe something less equal than that?”
His casual smile remained even while the sinking feeling of anxiety filled his chest. If they were asking about Levi, then there was still a slight chance they haven’t met with him yet. Thankfully, he already warned Levi against doing anything rash at the risk of causing undo harm, but Zach knew more than well enough that that advice may only last for so long. Someone like Aris could get under his skin rather quickly, and in that case his main priority immediately became pushing them away from that rabbit hole.
“Mr. Storey has an…” Zach paused as he visibly chewed over his words, “interesting relationship with Levi Baines. I won’t pretend to know everything that going on between them, but I’ve interacted with Levi privately on more than one occasion and I know how much Mr. Storey’s music means to him. Like with many of his fans,” this isn’t an entertainment weekly interview, get to the point, “Mr. Storey has helped Levi through a couple tough moments through his music.
“You know what they say about art and artists,” Zach shrugged, though he wasn’t even sure what he was trying to say. “It’s a very personal thing to touch someone through your music. Intimate, even. And, other than that, Mr. Storey is a rock star. His bedfellows vary depending on the day. I keep away from that side of the business.”.
This was more fun. Nothing was fun unless there was a bit of a fight. And if scare tactics weren’t going to work with Zachary, then maybe it would be worth it to pursue their more… favored tactics. The tactics that had gotten them all the way to the position they currently held. Zachary reminded them a lot of the Porc Club boys they had gotten off drunk, behind doors tightly closed, whispering I swear I’m not gay, though, with their lips around their….
Aris has a feeling that Zachary would take a lot more buttering up than any of them, though. He seemed stubborn, to say the least. But that was half of the fun. A victory easily won wasn’t nearly as interesting to Aris as a battle well fought.
“You caught me,” they said, leaning forward as if they were letting him in on a little secret, the smile ever unwavering. “A refusal is just as telling as a positive drug test, though. Not that it matters in your case. I hope there are no hard feelings. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t try to scare you a little.”
Zach was surprised when Aris didn’t press harder on the drug test question, but he could already tell they weren’t stupid. If they pressed on, harden their line of questioning, or even made the threat a little less veiled, he would have shut down. No more talking without a lawyer present. Enjoy your escorted trip out of the office.
Then that’s it. The game is over.
And for Aris, someone who seemed like a political animal, someone who could seemingly play the game with the best of them, that would have been straight up unacceptable. If this was a legal game of cat and mouse, then Aris’ interest may keep him out of trouble for as long as they were engaged. A tit for tat; they’re intrigued and maybe he won’t be subpoenaed.
“A refusal is a refusal, but it can be taken a million ways and test results are only one way or another,” Zach shrugged, knowing that he was toeing an invisible line. “I could just be a wary citizen concerned about his privacy and the overreaching size of government. Or maybe I’m a high functioning cocaine fiend. Either way, you’ll never know.”
They knew better than to be convinced by a light chuckle and a charming anecdote about being done with tequila and college freshman. It was funny how much Zachary reminded them of almost every cis man they’d fucked with while at Harvard. They appreciated the familiarity, in a weird sort of way.
Aris laughed lightly, “Old age, right. You’re younger than me, Zachary, and I know I haven’t lost my spark yet. Of course, everything is up in the air at the moment. I’m sure your efforts at the concert were valiant to say the least. I’ll have to confirm all of what you’ve said with other witnesses, of course. Possibly call for a drug test if things seem iffy. But I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. If you feel like you do, though… I’m very open to the option of witness immunity. For a small price, of course.”
“You wouldn’t need something like that, though, since you’re just a boring old man now,” they said, with a knowing smile playing on their lips.
All the laughter, smiles, and charm in the world couldn’t hide what Zach perceived as a straight forward threat of the A.D.A in front of him. Zach paused for a moment before answering, letting a pregnant silence grow between them before he shook his head and tutted his tongue, almost as if he had just recalled something. However, this time he didn’t remember a single piece of legal advice his late father gave him. Instead the first thing at the front of his mind was how he got out of trouble during college.
“Aris,” he sighed, mimicking their smile from earlier. “And here I was thinking you were more than just your looks, counselor. We both know that in the beautiful state of New York I cannot be compelled to take a drug test, regardless of the half-assed, glued together testimonies of a bunch teenaged street kids. Hell, I could be high as a kite sitting in front of you as we speak, and I’d still have right of refusal, then you can try to prove beyond a probable doubt that I have something to hide.
“If I’m under arrest,” he opened his hands wide and shrugged, “Then that’s a different story. But that uphill climb would be on you and you alone. I think you’ll find those idiots who were at the concert that night hardly remember their own names, much less a semi-known producer lurking in the crowds.”
“Okay, okay, okay. I get it, you’re serious and I’m useless, whatever. I’m not gonna do anything, okay?”
Zachary’s voice may have been low, hushed to keep whoever else was in the deli to keep from eavesdropping, whether that was to protect his own privacy or because he was worried about saying something that was going to further indict Lucifer, but Levi’s voice was far from quiet, raising steadily as he spoke in both pitch and volume. This was what happened when he got frustrated; he’d always gotten emotional embarrassingly quickly in fights, and this was no different. The second he started to feel himself losing ground, he got desperate, and at the moment, he didn’t think he’d ever felt quite so desperate in all his life.
“Alright, fuck, man. I’ll get people to mellow out or whatever. But if you think you’re gonna keep me out of the loop so I don’t cause trouble, you’re fucking wrong, alright? I want to know what’s happening. It’s only fair.”
Zach couldn’t bring himself to rebuff Levi’s sarcastic assessment that he actually took fairly seriously. He had never thought of Levi as anything other than a nuisance. At best he was in the way and at worse he was actively unhelpful. But right now, with Lucifer in NYPD’s claws and the papers having a field day describing each and every one of the perceived crimes he committed, Levi could make himself an asset.
“Okay,” he sighed in a tired tone, feeling if he was negotiating with a reluctant yet oddly powerful toddler. “Fair’s fair. Everything that I know – which isn’t much right now – you’ll know. They want us, and I mean his record production team, in a meeting with his lawyer soonish. I’ll let you know how that goes but it’s still pretty early right now. The D.A.’s office will probably hold their cards close to their chest before trial and we’ll just do the same.
“In addition to keeping Lucifer’s followers mellow, by the way,” Zach said, partly thinking aloud as the thoughts slowly formed, “Make sure no one bad mouth’s the NYPD on social media. There’s no reason to turn the city against Lucifer more than it actually is. You know, just let people think this is business as usual and their great leader will be out sooner than they think. This is all part of being a real and raw artist, or some shit, I don’t know how to talk to those peop–” Zach stopped himself and considered his next words carefully, “–his fans in a way that they’ll really get it.”
The laugh was a good sign, even if the words he said sounded like he wasn’t planning on being swayed. In all honesty, the genuineness of that laugh was enough for Aris to count the meeting as a success; it was only the first attempt, after all. There were very people that had given in so easily, and, while it would’ve been easier if Zachary had just accepted what they were saying, it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun.
They were in this for the long haul. And they’d never given up on someone yet.
Aris smiled back at Zachary. “The city of New York believes otherwise. But I suppose we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one,” they said simply. They paused, looking at him with a mild interest. “You mentioned doing lines… but that’s a thing of the past, right? You wouldn’t have happened to be doing lines the night of the concert, of course.”
Zach paused for a beat before chuckling, his casual exterior unchanged as he prepared to lie straight through his teeth. For all intents and purposes, one slip up shouldn’t negate years of practically choir-boy-esque behavior but they were an A.D.A, not a narcotics anonymous therapist. The fact that Zach is so very deeply sorry and may even promise never to do that very bad thing ever again doesn’t matter in the eyes of the law. It was hard to tell, however, if Aris was informally asking, just crossing their T’s and dotting their I’s, or if Zach had accidentally stepped into their formal investigation against Lucifer. Or even worse, opened himself up to being prosecuted himself for… his involvement? Negligence? One night of self-indulgence? Zach still couldn’t wrap his head around it.
One thing was clear, however; deny, deny, deny.
“Of course not,” he answered dismissively. “Those days, along with tequila binges in Guadalajara and sleeping with college freshmen, are very much in my past. I’m sorry to say but old age has made a boring man out of be and, anyway, I take my position very seriously. I was there to keep Lucifer out of trouble. Nearly succeeded too; but let’s be honest, his propensity towards self destruction is a god damn marvel to behold.
