The Samsara, Port of Fandom, Wednesday Afternoon

[my_own_advocate]

Right, so he'd clearly failed some kind of understanding test on Octavia's mystifying thing about tiny Duke. Lucifer had spent some time last night attempting to wrap his mind around it and failing.

But, well. Octavia stalking out of the Nest in a disappointed huff was not exactly how he wanted to go into this Duke-and-Octavia-free long weekend. And clearly he'd made a mistake. So.

There he was, standing on the boardwalk just outside of Samsara, holding a fruit basket. (It had lychees in it, besides the usual suspects. And dragonfruit. An apology basket had to be properly extravagant, right? It had worked for Miss Smith, at any rate.)

"Octavia?" he called.

[[ nsfw ahead ]]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shrugged again.

"It's to do with Floukru."

Which was wholly different from the everyday use of 'boat people'. Not that Octavia used that anymore, either.

[my_own_advocate]

"Floukru?" Lucifer echoed, frowning.

[okteiviakom]

"It's..."

Well. No.

"Was a clan."

[my_own_advocate]

"And I imagine the name struck your fancy," Lucifer said.

He could occasionally figure things out on his own.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's lips twisted, like she wanted there to be a smile but there couldn't be a smile.

"I used to call him Duke kom Floukru."

When things were good, and she hadn't yet met anyone from the actual clan.

"It fit."

[my_own_advocate]

"And gave him a bit of-- well, where you came from," Lucifer said.

He knew better than to use the word 'home' so cavalierly around her.

[okteiviakom]

Good.

Octavia nodded.

"And then he started calling me by it, too."

[my_own_advocate]

"And you became your own little club," Lucifer said.

[okteiviakom]

"Clan."

There was no heat behind her correction. Though she was looking down again, carving out another piece of fruit.

[my_own_advocate]

"Clan," Lucifer echoed. "And you're bringing something to do with your clan?"

[okteiviakom]

"It's not mine anymore." The way she didn't go for 'not ours' was not deliberate. But also not insignificant. "But yeah."

She looked up again.

"And I hope he likes it."

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm sure he will," Lucifer said.

This time the smile was actually aimed at her, and not just something that snuck onto his face in passing.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia didn't smile, but no one expected her to.

There was a soft sincerity to the way she said "Thank you", though.

[my_own_advocate]

"Do me a favor," Lucifer said, mouth tugging up further. "Do actually try to have fun, this time. As well as meaningful bonding moments and communing with nature, of course."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia rolled her eyes. By her standards, it was damn near theatrical.

Also ended in something of a wry expression.

"Okay."

[my_own_advocate]

Now it was Lucifer's turn to say, "Thank you," with a grin.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave a tiny huff.

And nudged his foot under the table with one of hers.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer raised his eyebrows, still grinning.

And poked her back with his own foot.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia acted like she didn't even see the raised eyebrows. Just went about getting the very last of the black-and-white flesh out of the dragon fruit.

While sort of just... casually keeping up contact with one foot.

Sometimes she knew only odd ways of getting what she wanted.

[my_own_advocate]

The eyebrows slid back down after a moment, anyway.

Even if a trace of the sentiment remained.

He tilted his foot slightly, oh-so-coincidentally giving her a bit more surface to work with.

[okteiviakom]

It wasn't much. Just a point of contact, and not even much of one, at that, with shoes involved.

But sometimes the smallest things settled her.

She finished her dragonfruit.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, I believe that one was a rousing success," Lucifer said.

A bit quiet for his standards, but not in a bad way.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded. A tiny movement. "I accept your apology." With no comment as to whether one was even necessary in the first place. "And your fruit."

[my_own_advocate]

"Thank you," Lucifer said again.

Both for the acceptance and for not making him explain what any of it had been for.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had zero interest in getting into it. He was in the clear.

She nodded again. And kind of wished she'd chosen her seat a little differently.