Deck of the Cape Rouge, Friday Morning

[my_own_advocate]

Life appeared to have settled some on the Rouge - and in the mansion, where a great deal of conversations had taken place over the last few weeks. Lucifer, for his part, rather enjoyed the calm-- the heavy burden of foreboding and tension had lifted entirely from his shoulders.

It had been, he had to admit, quite a while since the last time he felt that way.

And so he found himself out on the deck surprisingly early, wrapped in an incredibly thick and clearly expensive blanket, sipping from a mug of hot chocolate, feeling all right with the world.

In fact, he might have even been humming one of the classics under his breath.

[[ expecting one, but open! ]]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"It would just bug me if it wasn't all in tune with each other, darling," Lucifer said.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shrugged again. Very carefully, with her lean.

"Well, it doesn't look like you have to worry about that."

[my_own_advocate]

"No, Duke was very clear that he wanted to cede this part of the process to me," Lucifer said.

He sounded quietly pleased about it, for many reasons.

[okteiviakom]

"It is still technically your house," Octavia agreed.

Hence why she was keeping whatever pool preferences she might have had to herself. Aside from the sustainability things and telling Duke she needed to be able to swim laps, since both of those were actually important.

She patted his leg, then left her hand there. "Your call."

[my_own_advocate]

"I... would prefer not to think of it as just that," Lucifer admitted.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's hand gave his leg a faint squeeze.

"I didn't mean that's why Duke is letting you handle this part."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer nodded.

He looked up at her. "Will you be comfortable?" he asked. "With the pool?"

[okteiviakom]

"It's a pool," Octavia replied, with a touch of something wry, raising her eyebrows just a little. "And it's private. Hard to be uncomfortable with that."

[my_own_advocate]

"Just checking," Lucifer said, mouth curving. "I'd rather overcheck than undercheck, considering."

[okteiviakom]

"Considering what?"

[my_own_advocate]

"The frequent communication failures all of us have had?"

[okteiviakom]

"Fair," Octavia said, because what else could she say? There had been some spectacular ones recently. "And you've checked now. No prefix necessary."

[my_own_advocate]

"All right."

Lucifer smiled at her. "So how have you been?"

[okteiviakom]

"Since you last saw me in bed this morning?" Octavia rasped, in what passed as a light tease from her. "Fine. Making sure I have everything I need for going out was very uneventful."

[my_own_advocate]

"Mhm," Lucifer said, "Well, uneventful is good."

[okteiviakom]

"It's normal, if you can believe it," Octavia replied, and yes, there was that hint of a wry tone again.

Then she shrugged a little. "Anyway, it's... We have another date night, tonight. Me and Duke." Clearly, and yet she felt the need to clarify, as if there was any reason for Lucifer to think it could've been one of theirs. "And who knows how that will turn out."

[my_own_advocate]

"Are you worried?" Lucifer asked softly.

[okteiviakom]

"'Worried' is kind of a big word," Octavia replied, on a sigh.

Which... wasn't exactly a resounding no.

[my_own_advocate]

"So what's the right word?"

[okteiviakom]

"I don't know," Octavia admitted. "Whatever covers that I'm still looking forward to it, but that last time was a fucking disaster."

[my_own_advocate]

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lucifer asked, sipping his hot cocoa.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia glanced at him.

"I notice you didn't have to ask how it was a disaster."

She didn't sound surprised. They all talked, now. (Somewhat.) It was a good thing.

[my_own_advocate]

"I didn't want to get ahead of myself," Lucifer murmured.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded.

"What did he tell you?"

[my_own_advocate]

"He said you got into it about words," Lucifer said lightly. "But that neither of you left, and he was proud of you both for working it out."