A Spot in the Preserve, Sunday Evening

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer and Octavia had their Sunday rituals down to a T. And that-- well, that made Lucifer a bit contrarian, at times. There was nothing wrong with their tradition, healing as it was, but doing the same thing over and over again wasn't always that exciting.

And, all right. Perhaps he was still processing his own healing breakdown a week after the fact.

So he'd promised Octavia a surprise. Shown up with some take out bags and a smile.

She'd probably figured out where they were going well before the first trees came into view. It was a bit chilly, that couldn't be helped, but still: Lucifer thought the ambiance would help. "Almost there."

[[ for her ]]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

"... The what now?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Originally I was going to take you off-island to go pony-riding," Lucifer said, "Which would take us to the picnic spot. And I'd contemplated getting a barbershop quartet to do some of your favorite grunge hits..."

And then he'd realized it was too much, yes.

[okteiviakom]

That might have been overshooting it by a little, yeah.

Also Octavia couldn't figure out what barbers had to do with it. But she was smiling at him, all the same. "I think I like this simpler version better," she said. "Not that ponies aren't great."

[my_own_advocate]

"I thought it might be best to do ponies some other time," Lucifer admitted. "And the music yet another date."

[okteiviakom]

"Good thinking," Octavia told him, because... Yes. Then she gestured at the whole spread of things. "Are you done prepping? Can I sit down?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Ah! Yes. Of course." Lucifer cleared his throat. "Please, be seated."

[okteiviakom]

And Octavia did so, plopping herself down onto the blanket without further comment.

Except for the amused tilt of her smile, anyway.

[my_own_advocate]

"I thought you might like this," Lucifer said, a little more bashful than he was aiming for. He took a seat on his own pillow. "As a bit of a change."

[okteiviakom]

"I do," Octavia told him, looking around again. "It's... new."

And not just in a 'new for Sunday date night' kind of way.

[my_own_advocate]

"As long as it's... good new," Lucifer said, freeing his pizza from the bag.

[okteiviakom]

"A weird new," Octavia replied, as she followed his lead for her own. "But not an unpleasant one."

[my_own_advocate]

"How is it weird?" Lucifer asked, seriously, as he unscrewed the cap from a bottle of orange juice.

[okteiviakom]

"Because it's you."

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm not weird," Lucifer insisted, filling up a glass for her.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia leveled a look at him.

"That's not what I meant, and I still have to object."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer sighed. Loudly. And handed her the glass. "Well, proceed with your incisive observations."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia took the glass while giving him a crooked and unrepentant smile.

"You're a weirdo." How was that for an observation? "But more to the point, you just basically built something that looks like you in an environment that... really doesn't."

Because that environment was hers.

[my_own_advocate]

"It's just a picnic blanket," Lucifer protested.

[okteiviakom]

"And a lamp, and pillows, and pizza," Octavia retorted, "and apparently a space heater, which I really have some questions about."

[my_own_advocate]

"It won't be a comfortable temperature for humans until tomorrow!" Lucifer protested.

[okteiviakom]

"I'm not criticizing," Octavia clarified, just in case. "I promise."

[my_own_advocate]

"Of course," Lucifer said, holding up a hand. "Apologies. I just wanted to cover all the bases."

[okteiviakom]

"And that's very you," Octavia pointed out, circling right on back to that. "And I love that."

Even when it was weird.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer cleared his throat. "All right," he said. A pause. "I'm going to try not to overplan date night with Duke."

[okteiviakom]

"I don't think he minds?" Octavia offered, finally reaching down to get started on her pizza.