Lucifer leaned back, a subconscious mirroring of Duke. "The reason I have been pushing back on you here," he said, searching for a delicate sort of phrasing he did not feel he was good at, "is because I think you are thinking about this from the wrong angle, and it's leading to a number of unforced errors."

Had he mentioned he wished he had a drink right now?

"I understand that you feel left out. That you are doing your best, and it is frustrating when that best does not get you the reaction you were hoping for," he said. "The problem is that you are doing the best you think you should be doing, not what we're actually telling you we'd prefer. The sex is a good example. I am offering you a chance to see, experience, and understand this part of her, so you can explore it with her - and with me - in whatever way works best for the two of you later. And yet your immediate first thought is to ask about how you can make it more about what you like."