The Cape Rouge, Sunday Morning

[my_own_advocate]

Right, so Lucifer was getting up bright and early so he could prepare himself for the trip to Baltimore - possibly with Duke - to escape this caffeine-free, zero-alcohol hell-hole. Bright and early enough that both of his partners were still asleep.

Or Octavia was faking it. Or just not bothering to get up. Who even knew?

"Oh my me," he whispered to himself in the kitchen. The bourbon looked... normal? He took a swig. It was normal.

He swept away immediately to get the coffee going, and twenty minutes later--

"Who wants an Irish coffee?!"

--burst back into the bedroom.

[[ for duke, and for octavia if she wants to jump in too ]]

Comments

[betterthanaplan]

"Mmmph," Duke mumbled into the pillow. He peered bleerily up at Lucifer. "Tha's not funny."

[my_own_advocate]

"It's not," Lucifer agreed, thrusting a warm mug in Duke's general direction.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke swayed towards it like a plant towards sunlight.

"That's not decaf?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Not decaf," Lucifer said brightly, much like the sun Duke was, ahem, leaning towards. "And not alcohol-free."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke made it upright just enough to make grabby hands at the cup.

"Oh my god you are a saint."

[my_own_advocate]

"Technically a few levels above one, but I'll take it," Lucifer said, and let him take it. "I didn't want to deprive you."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke took the cup and sipped, then spent a moment or two just lost in the glory of caffeine and alcohol.

"It's like coming home after a long, painful trip."

He sat up and made grabby hands with his now free hand, towards Lucifer.

"Best boyfriend. C'mere."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer laughed, settling down carefully on the edge of the bed with his own mug in hand. "And here I was ready to escape with you to the mainland," he said.

[betterthanaplan]

"That would . . . also be an excellent plan," Duke acknowledged. He'd been an absolute wreck by yesterday, headachy and starting to feel a little bit shaky.

He was definitely going to need to start laying off the alcohol a little more. He couldn't blame all of that on caffeine withdrawal.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer had no such physical issues, but his dependencies were-- rather psychologically obvious. Though being with Octavia and Duke had helped.

He reached out and slid his arm around Duke's shoulders. "Well, no need now," he said. "We'll just stay in. Or... perhaps, take the Rouge for a day trip."

With booze, coffee and his partners.

[okteiviakom]

"'Edroom's for sleeping, not talking," came a mumbled grumbling from the other side of the bed.

Sorry, boys, not everyone cared as much about whether the coffee and the booze were back or not.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke chuckled, leaning down to give her a kiss on . . . whatever part of her head was easiest to reach.

"Sorry, gona. We'll head to the galley."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer managed a soft laugh, as well. "Apologies," he said.

He smiled at Duke, unburdened for once. "Let's, then."

He slid away, up off the bed.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia just gave a sigh, and a very uncoordinated pat on... Duke's leg? Maybe?

She hadn't bothered opening her eyes for any of this.

[betterthanaplan]

Which was entirely fair.

Duke caught her hand, gave it a squeeze, then trailed off after Lucifer, happily sipping his doctored coffee.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer chuckled. "This is a new one," he said, "You and I up, she asleep."

[betterthanaplan]

"I'm considering it a good sign," Duke said. "She's recovered enough to sleep in. I'm so proud!"

[my_own_advocate]

"Makes a man want to go out and purchase some more, nicer pillows," Lucifer mused. "Upscale the mattress..."

Well. Made a specific angel want to do that, anyway.

[betterthanaplan]

"Are you insulting my linens?" Duke asked. He shook his head sadly. "And we were getting along so well. Those are Egyptian cotton! From Egypt!"

[my_own_advocate]

"I've said nothing about your linens," Lucifer said, sipping his coffee. "I'm talking about upgrading that mattress to something she'll never want to leave."

[betterthanaplan]

"That'd have to be one magic mattress," Duke pointed out, with an amused sip of his (blessed, amazing) coffee. "Tavi likes to stay active."

[my_own_advocate]

"And yet," Lucifer said, "She's sleeping in."

[betterthanaplan]

"'Sleeping in' and 'never wanting to leave' are not quite the same thing," Duke said. "But I like the impulse. If anyone can find a mattress that good, it's our Mr. Morningstar."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer chuckled. "All I'm saying is we should foster and enable this new habit of hers," he said. And paused to take a big sip of his coffee. To savor it. "Mm."

[betterthanaplan]

"Who knows?" Duke said. "If we play our cards right, set up a couple key comfy spots, maybe we'll even convince her to nap."

[my_own_advocate]

"You just want an excuse to add more pillow zones to the ship," Lucifer teased.

[betterthanaplan]

"Well, it's my ship," Duke said. "I should get as many pillow zones as I like, right?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, I'm certainly not arguing," Lucifer teased. "Pillow zones have many uses."

[betterthanaplan]

"Glad to have your approval. I'm thinking . . . hammocks."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer tilted his head. "...Should be some rather large hammocks."

[betterthanaplan]

"A variety of hammocks. All different sizes and shapes."

[my_own_advocate]

"Just randomly hanging them in rooms and corridors?"

Lucifer was deeply grateful Duke, at least, had opted to sleep in an actual bed.

[betterthanaplan]

"Not randomly. Strategically."

[my_own_advocate]

"Strategically planning for what, exactly?"

Lucifer was amused and just wanted to hear this plan, honestly.

[betterthanaplan]

"Having a handy hammock nearby when she's hit by the urge to nap," Duke said. "Or lounge. Or watch the porgs. . . ."

[my_own_advocate]

"One or two in choice sunlight spots on the deck, then," Lucifer said, nodding.

[betterthanaplan]

"Of course. And I bet we could get one of those big swinging bed things for the forecastle. . . ."

[my_own_advocate]

"...Which part is the forecastle again?"

[betterthanaplan]

"The tall thing in the front."

[my_own_advocate]

"Ah," Lucifer said, tilting his head. "May be fun in summer. Take the Rouge out somewhere warm, make some iced tea, cuddle up..."

[betterthanaplan]

"Plenty of room to store it in the hold when we're not using it."

Since Octavia was never going to go down there again, if she could help it.

[my_own_advocate]

"Mm," Lucifer said, took a sip, and said, "I still think we should get an inflatable hot tub."

[betterthanaplan]

“That . . . would also be easy to store in the hold.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Exactly what I was thinking," Lucifer said. He smirked. "And then you won't have to turn your precious boat into a cruise ship."

[betterthanaplan]

“The world’s ugliest cruise ship?” Duke asked with a grin.

What? He knew what the Rouge looked like.

[my_own_advocate]

"Not if you finally gave it that bloody lick of paint she needs."

[betterthanaplan]

“Excuse you, that rust happens to be very effective camouflage.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Far be it from me to repeat our past conversations," Lucifer said, as he was about to repeat just that, "But your ship hasn't needed camouflage in... how many years?"

[betterthanaplan]

Duke pressed his hand to his chest. "You wound me."

Look, sometimes he needed to pretend he was still a scoundrel and a rogue, okay?

[my_own_advocate]

"By the time you ever have to use this vessel for camouflage again, it would probably have rusted over all over again," Lucifer pointed out.

[betterthanaplan]

"Really. That's just cruel."

[my_own_advocate]

"Is it?" Lucifer asked, snorting. "Are you eager to go back to your life from three years ago?"

[betterthanaplan]

"Not exactly the same life," Duke said. "But, you know. It's nice having the option. . . ."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer huffed softly. "Keeping an off-ramp, are we?"

[betterthanaplan]

"You are making this sound way worse than it is," Duke said.

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm not saying it's bad," Lucifer said, idly pouring another shot of Bailey's into his mug. "But you are doing it."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke sighed and flopped down onto one of the benches.

"I like having an exit strategy," he said, shrugging. Trying not to think too hard about Linda telling him that was his immaturity showing. "In my experience, things tend to go tits-up pretty fast if you don't."

[my_own_advocate]

"I can't say I don't understand," Lucifer said. He considered the situation for a moment, then... followed Duke's example. "But it has been over a year. More, if we count back to the start of you and Octavia."

[betterthanaplan]

"And she and I have both gone missing at least once and how many times has the island tried to kill us?" Duke pointed out. "Shit -- ends."

He'd spent his whole life reminding himself of that. Bracing for it. Telling himself it was better that way, to make it hurt less. Three years wasn't a lot compared to more than 30.

[my_own_advocate]

"Some shit does," Lucifer said, wrapping his hands around his mug. "Some shit doesn't."

[betterthanaplan]

"You don't," Duke agreed softly. He was in no mood to send Lucifer into another spiral of existential dread -- or himself, for that matter. He leaned his head on Lucifer's shoulder instead. "Still getting used to that."

[my_own_advocate]

“And I mean it when I say I understand,” Lucifer said, smiling faintly at Duke’s weight on him. “I long believed my eternal life would be misery, interspersed with fleeting pleasurable interludes.”

[betterthanaplan]

"That's. . . ." Duke sighed. "Almost what I mean. But -- you get the important part. I'm not trying to run away from you."

[my_own_advocate]

"No, you're just afraid you'll have to," Lucifer said quietly. "And I'm trying to tell you you don't have to be."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke shook his head slightly. "You can't actually promise that."

Duke had been married. He'd tried the whole 'promising forever' thing. He was pretty sure not even Lucifer could say it with absolute certainty.

[my_own_advocate]

"I can promise you I'll always be there for you when you need me," Lucifer said, voice still quiet.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke was pretty sure he couldn't even promise that. Especially not if he ever fully accepted becoming the new God.

But he didn't say it. In part because his throat seemed to have locked down on letting out anything that wasn't sob related, and he refused to sully their morning with one of those.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer couldn't read minds.

But he did murmur, "And I always keep my promises," either way.

He kissed the top of Duke's head.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke curled in a little tighter against Lucifer's side. And marveled at the fact that he didn't even have to think about doing so, about letting himself look small or vulnerable in the other man's presence.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer smiled and shut his eyes, leaning into Duke as much as Duke was leaning into him.

He'd removed at least one hand from his mug and wrapped that arm around the man. It was. Still. A strange and wonderful thing to be able to feel this way about someone. Now that it had stopped being terrifying.