Lucifer's Mansion, Very Early Saturday Morning

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer came back from his shift at the bar - and subsequent trip to the hotel - in decidedly less grand spirits than that he'd started it. Morose Duke was never good, and morose Duke over-- whatever that incredible mess was...

It had Lucifer wishing Seivarden had been around for some distraction. He hadn't exactly been in the mood to pick up somebody new, especially not after Duke had told him everything.

At least sleep would probably do him good. He let out a sigh and turned the last corner towards his house, keys already in hand.

Wait. Was there someone sitting on the steps?

[[ for someone; CW for mentions of self-harm and suicidal ideation ]]

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[okteiviakom]

At his own risk.

Octavia heard him, but didn't answer. That kind of thing didn't really require one anyway, did it? She'd be done soon, anyway. Once the blood was off, at least parts of taking a shower would turn into something soothing, and, well.

She couldn't have that.

[my_own_advocate]

For now, Lucifer was just going to throw them into one of the rooms he hardly used. (He had too many rooms in here. He'd never admit it, but it made him miss his loft in Los Angeles.)

Then he slipped into the bedroom to get himself a drink. He needed it.

[okteiviakom]

Once Octavia was sure all the blood had washed down the drain, she turned the water off.

And went on autopilot. Drying off a little, pulling on the robe. Taking the painkillers she wasn't sure she deserved but which might keep her from throwing up later on. More for Lucifer's benefit than her own.

Then after a while, she drifted out of the bathroom. Examining her hand.

[my_own_advocate]

"I had an interesting conversation with Duke," Lucifer called, from the bedroom.

Standing by the bar with a glass in hand.

[okteiviakom]

A part of Octavia saw that as a reason to go in the exact opposite direction.

The rest of her walked on unsteady feet to his bedroom. Though she stopped right past the doorway, where she could actually see him.

Said nothing.

[my_own_advocate]

"A word of advice," he continued, undaunted, "Next time you decide to punish yourself, maybe don't bounce your head off your easily-traumatized boyfriend's fists."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia looked away.

"I fucked up," she said. Her voice was all rasp, a little hoarse. The opposite of the wet whimper of 'please' that had been the last thing to come out of her mouth before this moment. "I'm aware."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer sighed. Took an empty glass.

Poured some minty water into it. "Are you injured? Seriously, I mean."

[okteiviakom]

"Might have fractured my hand." On her own, even. "Maybe a concussion."

She'd bounced her head off the steel wall pretty hard, after all.

Not that Octavia sounded like either of those counted for much.

"It's nothing."

[my_own_advocate]

"Remember what I said about the Stoics?" Lucifer asked, holding out the water for her.

[okteiviakom]

"Don't care."

Octavia just stared at the offered water for a moment. Then reached for it --

Then switched hands. Her left hand would be better, probably, so that was what she used to take it.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, I do care, and it's my doorstep you've decided to leave yourself on," Lucifer informed her. "We'll take you to the clinic in the morning."

[okteiviakom]

"Don't need it."

It was more of a weak kneejerk thing than it was a genuine objection. Octavia took a sip from the glass, then grimaced slightly as the cut on the inside of her lip didn't react well to the mint.

Then she drank more.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, please do keep lying to my face about things I can clearly see are untrue," Lucifer told her. "What brought this on?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia chose to keep drinking until the glass was empty instead of answering.

Because she didn't know what to say.

[my_own_advocate]

"He said you pushed him to hurt you," Lucifer said. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out you were trying to get punishment."

Well, if it had been any of a number of other motivations, it would've probably soared over his head. But this one, Lucifer knew well.

[okteiviakom]

"It was an accident," Octavia said, the glass still hovering by her lips, her gaze downcast. Her voice hoarse. "At first."

[my_own_advocate]

"And then?" Lucifer asked. "You decided you liked the taste?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's voice went very quiet.

"Snapped."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer glanced down at the hand she wasn't using.

"Yes, I can see that."

[okteiviakom]

And the hand was pre-snapping, if he could believe it. Sort of.

Octavia was looking down, but not at her hand. Not at much of anything, really: her vision was blurring again.

The question caught in her throat a little. "Is he getting home okay?"

[my_own_advocate]

"He's somewhere safe, sleeping it off," Lucifer said. Watching her. "I made sure of it."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's nod was as shaky as the breath that followed.

"Good."

She used her bad hand to hastily wipe at one of her eyes. The knuckles stung again, but she barely noticed.

[my_own_advocate]

"Sit down, Octavia," Lucifer said.

The stern irritability in his face had given away to something tired and worried.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia wanted to.

But that required moving. And she didn't.