my_own_advocate: (lucifer - inward for once)
[personal profile] my_own_advocate
If there was such a thing as 'critical limit of things to process', Lucifer had hit it sometime yesterday. He had a child, apparently, and his partners doing their best to accomodate her while struggling not to fall apart, and he was still trying to figure out how on Earth it could even happen to him.

So he'd decided to do better today. To try and entertain her, and make sure she knew he wasn't-- that he wouldn't just drop her on someone else and ignore her.

"How about we play some music?" he'd asked. And Aurora had gotten a look on her face.

They'd wound up on the deck, him with a guitar, her with Duke's ukelele that she had insisted on getting and he couldn't stop her from getting because she knew exactly where it was.

It had been nice. Oddly enough.

But now he had retreated to the back portion of the deck with his coffee. Rory was perched on the railing of the ship, looking out over the coast of Fandom, and... still playing that damned ukulele.

[[ open for boat dwellers and passers-by alike! ]]

Date: 3 Apr 2022 11:05 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory was just getting an early start to acclimating him to it, or something. Three out of four people in this family liked the sound, and he would just have to deal.

Besides, being out here with him, playing this thing, even as he just watched...

Look, some parts of this weekend weren't easy. And this was. That was why she was lingering with it, just a little while longer.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 12:27 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - knowing smug)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
It wasn't his boyfriend's or his daughter's fault that he was so easily provoked with Oasis.

"What's that, dad?" Rory called back. "You wanna hear Wonderwall again?"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 12:34 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - oooh)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory snorted, but rested the ukulele against her leg, and lifted her strumming hand up to show that she wasn't about to play it.

"Fine, fine," she said. "Maybe later."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 14:40 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"You keep saying that."

Wasn't much of a spoiler, that one, was it?

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:19 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - knowing smug)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"You keep saying that, too," Rory quipped, because she could, while she set the ukulele aside and scooted a little bit to the side to make room for him. "Mom's sick of hearing about it."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:32 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory gave a tiny shrug.

"Well, maybe not sick," she said. "Sorry I'm not living up to my full potential of not playing the right ancient songs, anyway."

She gave his arm a little bump with hers.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:42 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - knowing smug)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Oh, Dad.

"Ocean Size," Rory agreed, leaning into the nudge a little. "For one." She gave a little snort. "I think she was singing that to me before I was even born."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:47 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
The small smile was met with tiny smirk.

"It's like you know her or something, Dad," she teased.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:15 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - ... uh huh)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"Kinda her thing," Rory agreed, choosing to bless him with the lack of a 'gross, Dad'. "You never sang any Jane's Addiction to me."

Date: 4 Apr 2022 13:54 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"Oh, you dragged me to the opera at your earliest opportunity," Rory offered. "Which, by the way, is also pretty noisy."

Spoken like someone who had happily made this same point repeatedly over the years.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 15:46 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (braced for impact)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke had made an effort all day yesterday, right through last night. Tried to stay with his people, even though doing that made him even more intent to swallow everything down and be as normal as possible. (His issues weren't Rory's fault. She deserved a good, together family. Every kid deserved one of those.)

But after another night of uneasy dreams -- and another morning of sleep paralysis, feeling trapped in his own body while an unknown figure loomed over him, intent to do . . . things to him and his partners -- he was just. Done. He got up, stumbled into a pair of pants, and threw himself into the pillow room, locking the door behind him. And proceeded to throw things, secure in the knowledge that nothing in here was going to break while he did. And the cushioning would even muffle his screams.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:01 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - flat stare)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
And everyone let him, for a while. It wasn't like Octavia and Lucifer didn't understand, though Lucifer, at least, would worry privately about what was going through Duke's head all through the day.

As for Rory, she distracted herself with her other parents, and the curiosity of the old town around her. She had grown up with three more or less stable parents, who made no secret of the fact that they loved her. She was old enough that that had taken root; taking Duke's absence personally was very far from her mind.

But by the time they'd crossed so far into the afternoon the sun was starting to descend noticably towards the horizon, she did start to worry. And... that's how she wound up outside of the pillow room, the ukulele under her arm, a bottle of iced tea in her hand as a peace offering.

She knocked.

"Dad?"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:10 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (trapped and sweaty)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
When Duke had finally physically exhausted himself, he'd ended up half-sprawled, half-curled against the wall. Right by the door, where he heard her loud and clear.

Fuck.

"Yeah," he said, hoarse from screaming. "What's up, kid?"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:14 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - eesh)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"You want something to drink?" Rory sounded tentative. "I made some iced tea."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:22 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (what the actual fuck)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
He didn't really want to talk to her. But she was his kid, apparently, so he couldn't not.

(His upbringing hadn't really come with any healthy examples of having boundaries with your own family, no.)

And, well. He was kind of dehydrated after a day of screaming and throwing things.

So he reached up silently and flicked the lock on the door, then cracked it open.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:29 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"Hi," Rory said quietly. "I'm just... going to crack this open a little more and put this on the floor, okay?"

A moment later, she tried to do just that, pushing forward slightly so she'd have more room.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:34 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (light from above)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke let her, though there was some resistance from the pillows themselves.

"Thanks." He let her set it down, then picked it up. Not really feeling up to touching anyone at the moment. (Not really feeling like he deserved physical touch at the moment.) "Sorry I'm not . . . more of a dad, right now."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:39 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory flashed him the smallest smile. "I've got two really great, kinda dumb dads at home," she said. "I can handle one young-ass version of one of them checking out for a day. I promise."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:52 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (snuggly hat)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
"Yeah, well." Duke sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. "Maybe I'm not."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 16:54 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - flat stare)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"Maybe you're not what?"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 17:09 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - flat stare)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"Jesus, dad," Rory said, shaking her head. "It's not like you have anything to prove or something."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 17:16 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (everything sucks)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke's laugh was wet and a little bit helpless.

"Don't I?"

Lucifer had meant it to be reassuring, but Duke had taken his "you've done all you can" as a slight on his usefulness, and he wasn't handling it well.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 17:23 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Lucifer would have... a lot to say about that, if Duke told him.

But Rory had no idea about that backstory. She sighed, and bit down on her bottom lip, and tried to think about how much she could even say.

"No," she said. "Look, if this is about being a dad, then-- fuck, you're my dad because dad, and mom, and you all fought really hard to make sure you could be. You being my dad is kind of like, a constant annoying reminder that my parents really love me and each other. So, no, you don't have to prove anything. You're already proof. Just like. Being someone I know."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 17:35 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (concerned in profile)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Oh good. He was a struggle to be around. That was what that meant, right? She was Octavia and Lucifer's daughter, though, so trying to argue wouldn't do him any good.

"It's not about you," he said softly. "You just . . . showed up at a bad time."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 17:41 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - oooh)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"I know," Rory said, matter-of-factly. "Seriously. The only person beating you up about this is you."

She dropped to a squat, so she was at least speaking to him face-to-face. "I told you, I have three parents I know love me a ton," she said. "Didn't you hear me just now? You and dad like, pulled some crazy dimensional space-time shit to be there for me when I was a baby, come on. You don't do that if you're not krei about being a parent. So even if you weren't right now, I know you're gonna be."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:39 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (*shrug*)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke frowned, finally processing that bit.

“You’re — were you born in Octavia’s universe?”

That was the only explanation he could think of for the need to pull “ crazy dimensional space-time shit”.
Edited Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:40 (UTC)

Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:49 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - flat stare)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Dammit.

Rory opened her mouth. Closed it. Sighed. "Yeah," she said. "Talk about a really bad case of portal napping timing."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:55 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (resigned)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
"Jesus," Duke said softly. "You really are used to us being hot messes."

That was actually not the point she'd been trying to make here, Duke.

Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:57 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory snorted softly.

"There were a couple of hiccups," she said. "But for most of my life, all of you have been pretty stable and happy, actually. After dad got you all there, apparently the post-napping period was actually, like. Healing. After a whole fuckton of bullshit."

In a different way than Duke was likely to take from that, but. Well. Spoilers.
Edited Date: 3 Apr 2022 18:58 (UTC)

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:00 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (trapped and sweaty)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
"Huh." Duke leaned his head back again and finally thought to take a drink of his iced tea. "I can't decide if that's reassuring or not."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:16 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"It should be," Rory said, shrugging. "I mean, sure, I spent the first few years of my life in a weird future universe. Then we came home to the Rouge. You guys still have a lot of shit to get through until you get to me, don't get me wrong, but..."

She shrugged, finally sliding the ukelele out from under her shoulder. "It's going to stop some day."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:30 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (truck guy)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke didn't notice the uke, still too busy looking off into space and sipping his iced tea. He let out a soft little huff.

"You know, me and Luce argue about that sometimes. Whether anything can really go on forever. I've kind of lived my whole life on the premise everything stops some day."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:33 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - flat stare)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory put the instrument down in front of them. She didn't call much attention to it. "Yeah, well, your perception of that stuff gets kind of funny when you're a celestial," she said. "I mean, I'm going to straight-up stop aging in a couple of years, which is wild."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:39 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (crossed arms)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke bobbed his head. "True. Though . . . as someone who nearly died of old age before I was even, like, 35, let me just say it has its benefits."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:43 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"I'm not complaining. It's just weird," Rory said, and she reached up to poke her cheek. "Like am I gonna stay chubby-cheeked forever or am I going to grow out of it before it hits, you know?"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:56 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (let's think this through)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke looked back at her, finally.

"You look beautiful, kiddo. You don't need to worry about growing out of anything."

Date: 3 Apr 2022 19:59 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"Of course you think that," Rory complained.

(Because he still sounded exactly like her dad.)

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:07 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (pretty boy)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
"Nah," Duke said, giving her a small smile. "I'm the young, messed up version of your dad, remember? No dad-goggles. You're just gorgeous."

He finally noticed the ukulele. "What's that doing here?"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:10 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"I spent some time playing with Skaifaya outside," Rory said idly. "Thought you might like having it back. So you don't get bored processing in here."
Edited Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:15 (UTC)

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:21 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (shiny hair and concern)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
“You play,” Duke said, faintly awed. “Do you . . . wanna play for me?”

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:25 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Oh. Wow.

That got a real smile.

"I mean, sure, I guess," Rory said, to cover for how quickly she reached for the uke. "Got any requests?"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:31 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (*shrug*)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke started to shake his head, then stopped.

“Play . . . your favorite.”

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:35 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
"Only if you promise not to tell dad," Rory muttered. "I just spent like half an hour trolling him with Wonderwall."

She reached behind her to close the door. And began to play. "Birds flying high, you know how I feel...
"

Date: 3 Apr 2022 20:52 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (taking this seriously)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke chuckled at the trolling, then fell silent, leaning his head against the door to watch her play. After the first verse, he started to softly sing along.

It felt better than the screaming did. He'd have to remember that later.

Date: 4 Apr 2022 06:22 (UTC)
swisflapa: (Default)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
The smile on Rory's face grew as she heard him join in, and she let herself get caught up in their joined voices, in the music.

That was good.

Maybe she was helping, just a little.

"And I'm feeling... good!" she belted.

Date: 4 Apr 2022 13:52 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (let's think this through)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke watched her, his voice trailing off, and tried to imagine her world. A world where they were all . . . steady. Where they were past all the shit Haven and Heaven and the future piled on them and we’re doing okay.

It was hard. It made his chest ache. And he wanted it so badly.

Date: 4 Apr 2022 14:04 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory lowered the uke, grinning wide, and looked at Duke for approval.

And-- right.

That look.

She knew that look.

Date: 4 Apr 2022 14:31 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (thoughtfully amused)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke dredged up another smile for her.

“That was meizen, kiddo. Thank you.”

Date: 4 Apr 2022 14:34 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - eesh)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory shook her head. She put the ukelele down in front of him again. "It's cool, dad," she said. "You need anything else? Some food, maybe?"

Date: 4 Apr 2022 14:38 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (pretty boy)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
Duke wanted to protest — it was beautiful! — but he bit it back, not wanting another round of “it’s okay that you’re not okay because you will be”, which was somehow even more exhausting in its own way.

“Nah, kid. I’m good. But thanks.”

Date: 4 Apr 2022 14:43 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - eesh)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
Rory nodded.

As she got up, she leaned over just so and dropped a kiss on top of Duke's head.

Date: 4 Apr 2022 14:47 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (thoughtful)
From: [personal profile] betterthanaplan
How did that ache even more?

Duke swayed towards her a little when she pulled away, but he didn’t stop her. Didn’t say anything. Just sat and felt it.

The quiet, unassuming love.

Date: 4 Apr 2022 14:48 (UTC)
swisflapa: (aurora - bright)
From: [personal profile] swisflapa
'I'll talk to you later," Rory said softly.

As she left the room, she closed the door behind her just as gently.

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my_own_advocate: (Default)
Lucifer Morningstar

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