The Cape Rouge, Saturday Morning

[my_own_advocate]

Haven was even worse than all the stories. And so, after the absolute disaster that had been yesterday and its ensuing revelations and fights, Lucifer had - over Duke's initial protests and then quiet acceptance - thrown everyone into the Rolls Royce and driven them home through a bloody portal.

He'd been keeping it together quite well, all in all, he felt. Compared to both of his partners. He was good at that, occasionally, being the one who didn't fall apart at the sight of personal trauma.

So why couldn't he sleep?

He'd given up the fight at some un-Himly hour. Found himself pottering around, lurking on deck, lurking in other places, drinking. Now he was back in the galley, contemplating the last of their scotch, and the inevitability of their eventual return to Haven.

He almost missed the noise outside.

[[ for the cape rouge dwellers plus one ]]

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[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer scooted a little closer to her and reached out with a tentative arm. Hoping to draw her in.

"So, er," he said, "Octavia, this is Aurora."

"But please don't call me Junior," Rory joked awkwardly.

[okteiviakom]

"Aurora," Octavia echoed, quietly.

She actually really looked at the girl for the first time, now.

[swisflapa]

She had dark hair with a few reddish-pink highlights, and dark eyes. A leather jacket hugged a crisp white men's shirt over her baggy trousers and a belt with spikes on it, just like her collar. Rory fidgeted with the leather strap on her wrist. "Yeah," she said. "I'm-- sorry about the timing, I guess."

[okteiviakom]

"It's not your fault," Octavia muttered. Hesitated, fought the urge to look down towards the floor, or her hand with the patched-up knuckle, or her arm in its sling.

"Sorry it's... like this."

That she was like this.

[swisflapa]

"It's okay."

By instinct, Rory reached past dad to touch the hand with the patched-up knuckle. "Shit happens."

[okteiviakom]

And Octavia's gaze fell to their hands.

"Still."

[swisflapa]

Rory shrugged. "Fuck, mom, just take it," she mumbled. "Can I like. Get you something? Or something."

Lucifer's eyes flicked from one to the other. He cleared his throat. "I can get some juice, or..."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia said nothing, even though she supposed she should have.

Instead, she brushed her fingers slowly, carefully over Rory's.

[swisflapa]

Rory fell silent, too. Sometimes mom just got like that. So she let her, and studied Octavia's features.

She looked so young.

[okteiviakom]

She didn't feel it. Particularly not today.

But she also didn't really realize Rory was watching her. Too busy letting herself get just a little lost looking at her hand, instead. Even if her own was clumsier about touching her than her right one would have been.

It seemed easier to focus on the details, right now.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer let out an almost inaudible sigh, continuing the slow circling of Octavia's shoulders until his arm was fully around them.

"Ai hod yu in seintaim, nomi," Rory said, sounding just gently joking, on the way to serious. "Ai gada in noni meika."

[okteiviakom]

"Sha," Octavia muttered softly. Lingered in that thought -- and looked up at Lucifer.

"You've said she's not possible."

Or something to that effect. Even though he was always making sure, anyway.

[my_own_advocate]

"As far as I know," Lucifer said slowly, "She is." That was at least a good... 25 percent of his inability to process any of this.

"Funny," Rory drawled. "Pretty sure my cousin's alive and pooping himself right now."

[okteiviakom]

"That's different."

Somehow.

It just was.

[swisflapa]

"Is it?" Rory said, tilting her head. "'Cause I'm pretty sure that proves angels can make babies."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia didn't really know what to say to that.

(To anything, today, really.)

So she just fell quiet again, looking down. At their hands, at her sling.

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm... sure this is some mad alternate universe thing we don't have to worry about," Lucifer ventured. He eyed Rory. "Ah, no offense."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia wondered, faintly, whether this would have been easier had it been any other weekend. Like there was something here she couldn't really reach.

She felt heavy.

And her hand slid away from Rory's, as she moved to stand up.

"I should drink some water."

[swisflapa]

And so Rory leaned away, into her dad, who had a twin look of-- being faintly lost on her face she knew was matched by her own. "Yeah, keep hydrated," she said. "That's kind of important. Especially when you've had a bad fight."

She figured this was about a bad fight.

[okteiviakom]

It felt more like bad everything, right now.

But all Octavia actually managed to communicate was a toneless hum as she went to grab a glass.

[swisflapa]

"Do you wanna go hit things in the woods later?" Rory tried, her eyes darting to Lucifer.

[okteiviakom]

"I can't really hit things right now."

That wasn't even true. Sort of.

(Because she hadn't cared, last night.)

[swisflapa]

"Well, wanna watch me hit things with my wings?" Rory tried. "Maybe it'll be cathartic."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia looked up at that, her eyebrows climbing just faintly.

"You have --" Oh. It tapered off into a soft murmur. "Of course you do."

[swisflapa]

"C'mon, mom," Rory said, her mouth curling into a slight grin. "You know you wanna see."