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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[swisflapa]

Yeah. Yeah, that was a relief.

Rory made her way upstairs quickly, stretching her arms out as she found herself on the familiar territory of the Rouge's deck. "All right," she said. "Be careful and like, don't get too close?"

[okteiviakom]

Apparently it took too much effort to point out she'd been around wings before, and knew how not to get smacked.

(Yes, obviously that would be the main concern, what else could it be?)

Instead, Octavia just nodded, watching her.

[swisflapa]

Rory took a deep breath, and... unfurled. Deep red wings slid from her back, spreading across the boat.

Their feathers gleamed, tapering off into a point.

They almost looked... sharp?

[okteiviakom]

They did.

That was the thing that had Octavia taking a step closer without even thinking about it, though only once the wings were fully unfurled.

There was a question on her face as her head tilted, for a closer look.

[swisflapa]

"I can make 'em softer if I want to," Rory said, glancing over her shoulder. "But I like them this way."

[okteiviakom]

"Good," Octavia said, quietly. (To which part? Did it matter?)

The urge to reach out and touch the feathers, to find out whether they were as sharp as they looked, was strong. But she managed to fight it.

[swisflapa]

She folded her wings together slowly, just to make sure she could turn around. Rory smiled. "I know I'm still playing catch-up to you in the badass department," she said, "But I'm going to beat you at it sometime."

[okteiviakom]

And now Octavia was looking at her face, rather than at her wings.

She didn't know what to say to that, right now. Didn't feel particularly badass.

[swisflapa]

And Aurora-- knew that look. Her wings receded. Something like worry flitted by her features, but she wasn't still for long enough for it to be readable.

"Oh, nomon," she said, and darted forward, trying to drag Octavia into a hug.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia inhaled a soft gasp, and didn't seem to know what to do in response, at first - reminiscent of both Duke and Lucifer in times so long past that Rory hopefully had no idea about.

Then she slowly brought her free arm around the girl.

(The other arm hurt. She didn't care.)

[swisflapa]

"I love you," Rory said, pressing her face into Octavia's neck. "It's going to be okay. And you're fucking awesome."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia tried so hard to keep the sob-like inhale at bay, to stay firm and not shudder.

But she failed.

She pressed her face into Rory's hair.

[swisflapa]

"And I wanted to show off because I want you to be proud of me," Rory mumbled, "'cause I'm really proud of you."

[okteiviakom]

"I am," Octavia murmured, clinging to her just that little bit more fiercely. "I am proud of you."

Ignore how heavy her voice was already sounding.

[swisflapa]

Rory smiled, unsteady, and pressed her face into Octavia's neck.

Held on, for a little bit.

[okteiviakom]

"I'm sorry," Octavia whispered.

She couldn't help it.

[swisflapa]

"Why would you ever be sorry?" Rory whispered back.

[okteiviakom]

"Because I'm like this."

A little broken.

[swisflapa]

"Mom, you're amazing," Rory said. "You go through all of this stuff and then you go and become the best mom anyone could've asked for. You know how badass that makes you?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's inhale was a little noisy. Shook her a little.

"That's not me yet, strikon."

She deserved a medal for managing to get that 'yet' in there, despite all the feelings she was feeling this morning.

[swisflapa]

"It's gonna be you," Rory mumbled. "Everything so far is how I remember you guys telling me it went--"

Oh. She probably shouldn't have said even that much.

[okteiviakom]

Maybe.

"Why would we tell you?" Octavia murmured, more rhetorical than anything. "This isn't -- we're not at our best."

(Oh, she knew them, and knew herself. She knew why they would be honest.)

[swisflapa]

"Because you're not at your best. 'Cause nobody is ever always at their best." Rory's voice was quiet, but it was clearly something she'd heard before. "'Cause even when you're at your worst you're still worthy of love."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia exhaled a sigh.

"Your dad's learned something, huh?" she murmured. Might've been a joke. Definitely would have been the first attempt at one in a while. (Probably the last, too.)

[swisflapa]

"More like you bludgeoned into him," Rory said, laughing just a little bit.