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

[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."

[okteiviakom]

"Good," Octavia replied. She settled her head against his shoulder again, watching the water rather than his face. "Sounds accurate enough. No one left, and we managed to... reel it back in again."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer's arm hugged her tight against him. "What happened?" he murmured. "On your end?"

[okteiviakom]

"I got blindsided," Octavia muttered, leaning further into the hugging, "by something he'd probably been holding onto for who knows how long."

A tiny sigh.

"And I didn't take it well."

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, you care a great deal about your names for us," Lucifer said quietly, pressing a kiss into her hair.

[okteiviakom]

"I also don't want them to feel like a burden," Octavia muttered.

[my_own_advocate]

"I know." Lucifer lingered in place. "It's not a burden on me, for what it's worth."

[okteiviakom]

"I know, Octavia replied, like an echo.

She should've said more, probably.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer reached up and slid his fingers through her hair.

He waited.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave a tuneless little hum in response.

And finally said, "But if he's not the sun, then the whole constellation comes down."

[my_own_advocate]

"If you want it to," Lucifer said. "Or if you want it to become something else."

Carding his fingers through her hair.

"You're the one who holds the power over these words. Our words."

[okteiviakom]

"I don't want them anymore."

That was a lie.

Maybe even an obvious one.

[my_own_advocate]

"That doesn't sound like you," Lucifer pointed out gently.

[okteiviakom]

"I can change."

Did that sound any more like her?

[my_own_advocate]

"No one's denying that," Lucifer said, raising an eyebrow. "But why?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shrugged her the shoulder that wasn't pressing into his side.

"Why is a name Duke's had for years an issue now when he finally seems like he's getting better again?"

Rhetorical.

"Everyone's got their reasons."

[my_own_advocate]

There was a short silence.

Then: "I would miss them."

[okteiviakom]

"Well, one is already buried," Octavia replied, "and the one he used to call me you don't even use, so it's not like you'll have to miss much. You'll probably be fine without just the one."

[my_own_advocate]

"But..."

Lucifer trailed off. He wasn't sure how to encapsulate what he was feeling right now into words.

[okteiviakom]

Well, Octavia fell silent. Waiting.

He had time.

[my_own_advocate]

"It doesn't feel right," Lucifer said quietly. "I realize that's hardly a convincing argument, but it does to me sound like you lopping off an arm for no good reason."

[okteiviakom]

He was right, it wasn't really a convincing argument.

So:

"Why?"