Somewhere in Los Angeles, Tuesday Night

[my_own_advocate]

He'd started walking again. Just like Monday, when Father had shown up for the first time.

Lucifer just walked, leaving Linda's house far behind him. He kept walking blindly, thoughts racing, barely even aware of Duke and Octavia following behind.

He kept walking until his thoughts were calmer.

Until they found themselves at a fountain in a park, somewhere, he only barely knew where.

He sat down by the fountain's edge and crossed his arms, staring into nothing.

[[ for those who are here. ]]

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[betterthanaplan]

"Yeah, yeah." Duke rolled his eyes good naturedly as he tugged Lucifer into the loft space. "Shut up."

[okteiviakom]

While Duke tugged, Octavia pushed, gently.

As if Lucifer needed all the help he could get. Everything they had to give.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer pulled away from them once he made it into the loft. (It took a great deal of effort.) "Right, bed is yours, as I said," he said, turning towards the couch.

Stripping out of his jacket, his shoes, his trousers, his shirt. All the armor he'd put on to go to dinner tonight.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke didn't argue. He'd just drape himself over Lucifer once he was settled.

Instead, he went to go pour Lucifer a nice scotch.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia wasn't arguing, exactly, but...

She sighed quietly as she watched Lucifer stripping down. "What is not sleeping in your bed supposed to do, Lucifer?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Because it's not fair for me to be there," Lucifer said.

He got up again, but only to snag a blanket from a nearby container.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke returned with the scotch. "Ah, good, you've got the blanket already."

He was about to get burrito-ed into that blanket if Duke had anything to say about it.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shot Duke a helpless look.

What was his plan, here? He couldn't have been going along with Lucifer's stupid, sad idea.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer shot him a tired look and reached for a pillow, pulling it in towards him.

He stretched his legs out on the couch and laid down.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke set the scotch down on the coffee table near Lucifer’s head, the picked up the blanket and tucked Lucifer in.

Then proceeded to lay down carefully on the couch with him, an arm and a leg wrapped around him in an embrace.

[okteiviakom]

Oh.

Well, guess that was better than arguing.

Octavia exhaled a soft, quiet sigh, watching them. Still standing a little ways away.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer sighed quietly. "What are you doing, you absolutely ridiculous man?"

[betterthanaplan]

"You can sleep wherever you want," Duke said. "And I'll sleep wherever it is, too."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia turned quietly to head to the bedroom.

There wasn't enough room for three on the couch. And she -- needed things.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer shut his eyes with a little exasperated noise. "You really should join her."

He didn't have the strength of mind after everything to make Duke go away, but he still... really should.

[betterthanaplan]

"I'm exactly where I really should be," Duke said, giving him a little squeeze.

There was barely enough room on this couch for two, he was practically lying on top of Lucifer. He was pretty sure he knew why Octavia had headed for the bedroom and it wasn't to go to sleep in there.

[okteiviakom]

It was not.

And it didn't take long before Octavia came back - carrying a pillow and a blanket plucked right off Lucifer's bed.

She didn't make any more of a show of her return than she had of leaving.

[my_own_advocate]

"You two are impossible," Lucifer mumbled.

[betterthanaplan]

"Mmhm," Duke agreed easily. "Now get some sleep."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia set the blanket and the pillow down on the floor next to the couch. And kicked off her boots, finally.

And laid down.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat.

But his eyes were already closed, and he didn't protest further.

Surely they'd get uncomfortable soon and realize they were better off in bed?

[betterthanaplan]

He was vastly underestimating the stubbornness of his partners.

Duke settled in as comfortably as possible and closed his own eyes.

Maybe Lucifer would be in a more reasonable state of mind in the morning.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had her doubts.

Still, she too settled down. And eventually drifted off to a restless sleep, mostly because the past two days had been very, very long.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer slept… some.

Only to wake again two hours later in blessed fuzzy-headed ignorance. At least until he wondered why he was awake, and then he remembered, biting on his bottom lip to swallow a whimper.

Right. There was Duke, plastered against him.

Duke, who needed affection so badly he flung himself at it even when it had danger signs taped to it on all ends. Duke, who was apparently determined to stay stuck with him. It wasn't fair.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke, who was only at best half-asleep, because sleeping on the couch like this really wasn't terribly comfortable.

He didn't say anything about it, didn't ask questions. Just tightened his grip a little to let Lucifer know he was still there. Still not going anywhere. If he'd known Lucifer was thinking it was just his own issues that made him cling like this, he'd . . . well. Probably call Lucifer an idiot and keep clinging anyway.