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]

"My attitude is young," Lucifer said primly, and took a sip of his wine. "And I have older brothers."

By a smidge.

[okteiviakom]

"Unless it's also by billions of years, it doesn't count," Octavia decided.

[my_own_advocate]

"Very cruel," Lucifer told her.

[okteiviakom]

Snort. "You knew that when you got in this tub with me."

[my_own_advocate]

"Right, I suppose that does it," Lucifer sighed. "Out of the tub with you, now."

He underscored this point by sounding not particularly demanding at all, but also by sinking a little deeper into the water.

[okteiviakom]

"No." Octavia sank further down, too. "I like it here."

For more than one reason.

[my_own_advocate]

"Stubborn bloody woman," Lucifer said, flicking three drops of water in her direction.

[okteiviakom]

"And that's why you like me here," Octavia rasped.

And flicked some water back at him.

[my_own_advocate]

"Ah, ah. Presumptuous," Lucifer said, looking irritatingly fond.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia found nothing irritating about it.

"Then correct me."

[my_own_advocate]

Irritating to him. He had an image to uphold.

"Fishing for compliments?" he said.

[okteiviakom]

"No, asking for clarification."

It could probably be both.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, it's presumptuous to assume I like you here," Lucifer said solemnly, "Even if it is true. And doubly so to assume it's because of your stubbornness, which is only one of a myriad of aggravating and yet oddly charming qualities you possess."

[okteiviakom]

"Better," Octavia decided.

With a tiny quirk of her lips.

[my_own_advocate]

"So you were mining for compliments," Lucifer said.

[okteiviakom]

Shrug. "Don't you think I -- should get some, sometimes?"

She couldn't say 'deserve them', not even jokingly.

[my_own_advocate]

"You already have one man fawning over you," Lucifer teased, "Must you compell me to become the second? Think of my dignity, Octavia."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia snorted. "If your dignity hinges on not telling your friends nice things, I don't know what to tell you."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer sighed loudly, and rolled his eyes like she was twisting his arm here, and then leaned forward a bit.

"I like having you here," he said, "because you are a passionate, contrarian, intensely sharp young woman with a fascinating perspective on the world, and a unique ability to wrest something sacred out of the filth the universe enjoys pouring down on her." A beat. "And because you're very attractive and getting you to smile is a fun sport."

[okteiviakom]

'Careful what you wish for' was the thing here, wasn't it? And also how being a queen didn't mean you got to hear many good things about yourself.

Octavia's gaze kind of... fled from his, halfway through. Blinking something away.

"Mochof."

[my_own_advocate]

"You're welcome," Lucifer said, settling back with his wine.

Maybe to give her some space.

[okteiviakom]

"Duke always says 'de nada'," Octavia said after a stretch of silence. "I stopped reminding him what the Trig for 'you're welcome' is pretty fast."

Because it was another thing just for them. (And then she'd gone back to the Ground and accidentally said it in response to someone's thanks, and had felt soul-crushingly alone, but she didn't need to bring that up right now.)

She closed her eyes again. Let her head tip back. "You know, I didn't set out to date him," she said after another silence. That word didn't roll off her tongue any more easily than it had in the past, but at least she accepted it for a convenient shorthand, now. "I would've been happy to just be his friend, because I just knew I wanted to be around him."

[my_own_advocate]

Now it was Lucifer's turn to be quiet for a moment.

"People always say that," he said, "Until they're faced with the reality of it."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia cracked one eye open for a brief look at him.

"I don't mean I could do it now," she rasped.

[my_own_advocate]

"I doubt you would have been able to do it then, either," Lucifer said.

Entirely casual, but for the bit where he was suddenly looking at his glass.