Lucifer's Mansion, Wednesday Afternoon

[my_own_advocate]

That whole awkward mess yesterday had ended in Lucifer inviting Octavia over because, well. Because he felt horrifically guilty, and having long emotional chats wasn't really something he was good at when he wasn't in the middle of his own (Eric's) bloody club.

Also, generally, spending time with people went down more smoothly when there were hot tubs involved.

Either way, he was awake and upright. Hadn't bothered to pull on a suit jacket or anything else over his crisp black shirt because, well, this wasn't exactly a formal occasion.

... which hadn't stopped him from getting snacks delivered and breaking out the brandy, mind you. Either way. He was home.

[[ for her ]]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

It was complicated. At least, one could deduce that by the way Lucifer was suddenly very busy drinking his wine.

[okteiviakom]

And that dissuaded Octavia away from making any follow-up questions, like weren't his siblings supposed to be immortal, like him?

Instead, she turned her attention towards the view again.

"You know, there are mornings I forget I'm here."

[my_own_advocate]

"You forget you're here?" Lucifer asked, frowning.

If relieved not to have to dive into-- yes.

[okteiviakom]

"Yeah?" Octavia replied, with a little shrug. This wasn't a new thing for her. "Some days I wake up, and I'm not sure what I'm going to see when I open my eyes. Or I expect... something else than what ends up being there."

[my_own_advocate]

"Suppose you have been zapped elsewhere against your will often enough," Lucifer said. "Doesn't make for a restful awakening, though."

[okteiviakom]

"No," Octavia agreed, in a mild rasp. "But I'll take it over being elsewhere and wondering if I'm going to forget having even been here."

Because that was also a thing with her.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer took another sip of his wine and considered her.

"Did you try to write anything down?" he said.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shook her head.

"Didn't think I would get to keep any writing with me."

Another side effect of her zapping trauma, yes.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer's mouth curved a little.

"Well... Maybe we should get you one of those tie-around bells, like cats have," he teased gently. "'Is Octavia still here? Shake your ankle once for yes.'"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia snorted, despite herself. "That helps everyone else. Not me."

Because this was clearly a very serious suggestion that called for having its flaws exposed.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, if you wake up without it, you also know you're not here," Lucifer pointed out," mouth curving.

[okteiviakom]

"So far, I've gotten to keep everything that was actually on me," Octavia retorted.

And flicked some water in his general direction.

Somehow, she managed to make even that seem dry and a little sarcastic.

[my_own_advocate]

"Temporal tracking chip?" Lucifer said merrily. "I'm sure someone 'round here is spacey enough for that."

He flicked some water right back at her.

[okteiviakom]

"... Don't tempt me."

Never mind that they couldn't have come and get her last time, either.

[my_own_advocate]

"Just wander around the island accosting anyone you don't know," Lucifer continued merrily, "bellowing, 'Do you have a 'find my phone' app, but for people?'"

[okteiviakom]

This would become less amusing if Octavia ever got to the point where she'd get teleported from one planet to another just because her sort-of daughter stabbed her in the right way.

That was several years away, though.

"You knew where I was, last time," she drawled. "Sort of."

[my_own_advocate]

Everything could be funny before it became traumatic, and you never knew when.

"Can't say I would've guessed 'underground fallout shelter'," Lucifer noted. His mouth curved wryly. "First time I've regretted throwing the Flaming Sword out."

[okteiviakom]

"You should never throw swords out," Octavia retorted practically without missing a beat. (She hadn't actually touched her own much after she'd come back, but that was... a separate issue entirely.) "What's that one do?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Cuts through anything," Lucifer said, "Including the walls between universes."

[okteiviakom]

"Well," Octavia replied, after a pause, and considerably more dry again, "that would've come in handy."

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, well... Avoiding a war between Heaven and mum seemed more important at the time," Lucifer said, with a wry sigh. "Lack of foresight, really."

[okteiviakom]

"There's probably dozens of things people could've done if only they'd made a differen choice in the past," Octavia drawled. "But that's now how things went."

She took a sip from her glass, then set it down on the edge of the tub.

[my_own_advocate]

"Very philosophical of you," Lucifer said. "Doesn't make it less frustrating."

[okteiviakom]

"If I start thinking about everything anyone could have done," Octavia replied, as she sank a little deeper into the water, "I'm going to go insane."

Because she'd been of such sound mind in recent years to begin with.

[my_own_advocate]

"Can't have that," Lucifer said, setting his glass of wine down behind him as he watched her. "Rather happy to have you on this end of that line."