The Cape Rouge, Sunday Afternoon

[my_own_advocate]

He just wanted to be home.

For the second time that day, Lucifer fell. Not far this time, though. Just a few inches, really. His back hit the ground? with more noise than was strictly necessary for the impact that he'd made.

Oh.

Maybe it was the other two bodies making the same impact beside him.

He stared up at the sky, disoriented for many more reasons than just the fall itself. Oh my Me, indeed.

[[ for the two other people who just got teleported across the country out of nowhere. ]]

Comments

[betterthanaplan]

Duke let out a dismissive noise. The painkillers were definitely starting to work now.

"It's all wrapped up," he said. He brought the arm in question up over his head and rested it gingerly against the headboard, giving her a whole nice expanse of side to lie against. "We can work around it."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer huffed. "Spoken like Duke," he said, draping himself against Duke's side, and pressing a kiss to his shoulder.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia spent a beat looking at Duke's arm with concern.

Then she gave in to the siren call of his side, wiggling her way closer until she could curl up against him, although she made sure to get nowhere near his shoulder.

"I love you so much," she mumbled.

[betterthanaplan]

"I know." Duke gave her a smile, wishing she was closer so he could kiss her, but not willing to press his luck on getting her even this close when he had a goddamn splint on his arm. "I love you too." He looked over at Lucifer. "Both of you."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer slid a careful arm around Duke's waist. "And we love you," he said. "... I love you."

Saying that felt like a superpower he could lose at any moment. He needed to use it while he could.

[okteiviakom]

And Octavia didn't sob over it, this time! Though may have still made a soft noise. Hush.

Her arm slid around Duke, too, and her hand settled on Lucifer's arm.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke's eyes went wide, his mouth a round little "o" before it split into a broad grin. "Yeah?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes," Lucifer confirmed.

He kissed the corner of Duke's grin.

[okteiviakom]

"Should tell 'im again too," Octavia mumbled, her eyes already closed. She was very close to just dozing off, between the rum and the crying and oh, everything over the course of the day.

And the warmth of Duke's skin, and the feel of the mattress dipping under the weight of them.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded rapidly in agreement. "Yeah," he said, breathless. "Octavia can tell you, I don't always believe it the first time."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer chuckled. "Fine," he said. He kissed Duke's jaw right below his ear and said, "I love you," voice soft. "You ridiculous pirate."

[okteiviakom]

That was extremely sweet, and something Octavia would love to have heard, buuut she was already out. Though thankfully not snoring.

Yet.

[betterthanaplan]

She missed Duke tearing up, too.

Duke wrapped his good arm around Lucifer's neck as best he could without disturbing her or his other arm, and tucked his face into Lucifer's hair.

"I am so proud of you," he said, soft and faintly choked.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer huffed. It sounded shaky, but in a good way. "I'm sorry it took me this long," he said, closing his eyes.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke let out a soft hum, not an argument or an agreement.

He was bracketed by people who loved him. Who'd say it out loud, even when things were fine, even when there was nothing in particular they wanted from him. People who worried about him and made him take care of himself, and listened to him even when what he had to say wasn't something they wanted to or even could properly hear, just then.

He let a couple of tears fall, still burrowed into Lucifer's hair, and let himself relax as much as he could while still making sure not to shift his injured arm too much.

"You're here," he said. "That's all I really need."

[my_own_advocate]

And Lucifer couldn't even find it in him to make gentle fun of that emotion. In fact, a third "I love you," fell out of his mouth before he even realized it, as he settled into the pillow and Duke both.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke chuckled, soft and low.

"I love you, too." He let his head land on its own pillow and ran his good hand through Lucifer's hair a few times before dropping it on Lucifer's shoulder. "Now go to sleep, babe."

[my_own_advocate]

"Only if you do too," Lucifer said.

His voice sounded heavier already, though. It had... definitely been a day.

[betterthanaplan]

"That is 100% the plan," Duke agreed. He shut his eyes, started to drop his other arm onto Octavia, and caught himself at the last moment. Instead he just shifted a little more firmly into her, even as he kept his head turned towards Lucifer. "Pills're working now. 'Snice."

[my_own_advocate]

"Mhm," Lucifer sighed. "Sweet trip..."

And there went the last of his supply of awake.

[betterthanaplan]

Another chuckle, and Duke found himself the last one awake. Octavia had even started to snore.

He stayed that way for a good while, just lying there, eyes closed, listening to the two of them breathe. Trying not to think about anything at all, and as a result thinking about everything.

About God and the Goddess. About Amenadiel and Linda and Charlie. Chloe and poor Trixie. Dan. That poor dead angel, whose name he couldn't remember off the top of his head. The funerals and the arguments and the smashed glasses. Dinners and barbecues and late night sandwiches while waiting to see if Lucifer would come home.

Hospitals. Panic attacks.

The full, honest-to-God-who-might-just-art-in-his-bed-right-now battle.

Lucifer saying goodbye.

It all swam in and out, blurring together in his head, and after a while he gave in and just let it, silent tears running down his face from time to time. Linda might've been proud, but honestly he was just too tired to try not to feel any of it right now. To try to push any of it away.

Eventually the tears ran out. And then so did the thoughts.

And slowly, without ever entirely noticing, Duke drifted off to sleep himself.