Deck of the Cape Rouge, Sunday Afternoon

[my_own_advocate]

This certainly had been an emotionally eventful week, hadn't it? For the first time since Duke... exploded... Lucifer found himself in a decent mood, sleeping in to just about noon before cooking himself up a ridiculous breakfast.

Then there was coffee, and a still-somewhat-asleep Devil wandering onto the deck with a large mug that read 'Nail Satan' and a blanket slung over his shoulder. He sat down, facing the boardwalk, and stretched his legs out.

Sigh. A content one, for once. Not entirely without underlying strain, still, but close enough.

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Comments

[okteiviakom]

"I said Duke because aside from whatever anyone wants, I think he could use one," Octavia replied, only barely waiting long enough for him to finish. "I think... it would make him happy."

Boardwalk, so interesting.

She took another sip.

"I know you two have been working things out," she added. Softer, or at least more quiet. "It could keep the ball rolling on that."

[my_own_advocate]

"I suppose."

Octavia just seemed so ever so subtly off lately. And it was going on for long enough that even his unshakeable faith that she'd talk to him eventually if she needed it was... getting a touch shakey.

"But I believe that ball will continue rolling regardless."

[okteiviakom]

"Well," Octavia said. "Good."

Guess they didn't need to talk about a vacation, then. See how that worked out?

This time, the sip was a much longer one.

"How has it been?"

[my_own_advocate]

Not doing a great deal of work to convince Lucifer you wouldn't mind one, Octavia. Though he let it go, for now.

"Duke and I?" he asked. "Well, so far, between all the talking and the sex."

[okteiviakom]

"Sounds about right," Octavia replied, finding a little bit of her usual rasp again. "I'm glad."

That part? 100% right from the heart honest.

It sounded it, to boot.

[my_own_advocate]

"There were some conversations we hadn't had that we should have, a long time ago," Lucifer said. "In part his fault for... not raising them again. In part mine, as he didn't know how important it was to me."

He sipped his coffee thoughtfully.

"We're not there yet, wherever 'there' is," he said. "But I believe at least the hurt feelings have fallen from our eyes, which makes it much easier to find each other."

[okteiviakom]

"Good," Octavia said again. She didn't quite look over at him again, but her gaze was sliding away from the view and... closer, again.

His knee seemed like an okay enough compromise.

"I think it scared me." Now her voice really was soft. "How you both blew up."

(That much she could see. How it had contributed to everything else she'd been feeling in the past few weeks, not so much.)

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm sorry," Lucifer said quietly. "You shouldn't have had to see that."

[okteiviakom]

"I didn't," Octavia replied, just as quietly. "I waited until the yelling was over."

As if that had made any real difference.

[my_own_advocate]

"You heard it," Lucifer pointed out.

He twisted the mug around in his hands. Looked at it.

"I didn't mean to endanger your safe space."

[okteiviakom]

"This our home," Octavia replied.

She didn't put any stress on the 'our'. But there was an implication of it all the same.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes," Lucifer agreed.

He sipped his coffee. Thinking.

[okteiviakom]

"So if you're gonna have a screaming match, you might as well have it here," Octavia concluded, on a little sigh, oblivious to whatever he was thinking.

She raised her own cup for another sip. There weren't many left.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer let out a soft sigh.

"Octavia," he said. "I made you feel unsafe by 'having a screaming match' in our home. And I am deeply sorry."

[okteiviakom]

"I've probably done worse in our home," Octavia murmured.

She'd been looking at his knee this entire time. Now, she slid her free hand onto his leg.

Palm up, an offer.

[my_own_advocate]

And Lucifer took it without hesitation, settling his hand on hers. "Doesn't matter," he murmured. "I want our home to continue feeling like our home."

[okteiviakom]

"Well, you two patching shit up should help," Octavia replied, her thumb rubbing his hand as soon as it settled. "That's all I really want."

Inside their home, anyway.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer gripped her hand tightly. And then raised it, pressing a kiss to the back of hers.

"We are fixing it," he promised.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia watched him do it.

And her voice sounded just a little more shaky, as she said, "Good."

[my_own_advocate]

"But I do want to make sure we don't neglect you, either," Lucifer said softly. "So I plan to pamper you tonight, if you'll let me."

[okteiviakom]

There was a brief, odd pause.

And then.

"... It's Sunday."

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes."

[okteiviakom]

Good luck trying to read whatever this look was that Octavia had on her face when she finally looked at him properly again.

Soft, but apprehensive, but lost.

Searching.

[my_own_advocate]

And predictably, Lucifer didn't know how to read it.

"Octavia?" he tried.

[okteiviakom]

Maybe there was something sad in there, too. Conflicted?

Helpless.

It was a mess and she looked like she might cry, was what it was.

"I --"