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 ]]

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[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.

[okteiviakom]

"Well, you weren't in my head then."

And she remembered the terminology arguments well enough to assume her take on things wasn't maybe the most common one.

[my_own_advocate]

Yes, well. Lucifer wasn't thinking about her entirely. Or possibly even predominantly.

"I suppose."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had her suspicions, yeah.

She fell silent again.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer took a sip of his wine.

It was the last one. Sigh.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's brandy had been sitting untouched for a good while now, and was only half gone. And that, for the record, was a good thing.

Her eyes were closed. The water was warm, and somehow she was even managing to let that be a comfort, a soothing thing.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer slid quietly out of the tub, taking a few steps to go find the bottle. It had been an oversight not to leave it by the glass, clearly.

He returned with bottle and refilled glass a few moments later. "Should've brought this in sooner."

[okteiviakom]

"The bottle?" Octavia checked without opening her eyes. "Probably."

[my_own_advocate]

"Got a bit distracted," Lucifer said, which was the only way he'd cop to those few seconds of ogling earlier, and stepped back into the tub.

[okteiviakom]

"I know my tattoos make it hard to focus sometimes," Octavia replied, which was all the teasing she was going to do about it.

They were pretty prominent like this, though, the stark black shapes on both her shoulders.

[my_own_advocate]

"They do have their charms."

There. Lucifer had his alcohol. Now they could both languish peacefully in this hot tub for a while.