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]

"Strawberry cream cake, and a banana thing if you preferred that," Lucifer said, pacing after her.

He'd basically just bought the two things with the most fruit on it in the store.

Shut up, he didn't have a soft spot for her, how dare you.

[okteiviakom]

Just like this whole thing wasn't about how he felt guilty about the weekend?

"Both sound good," Octavia replied, taking a sip from her cup before going up the stairs. "Fruity."

Yeah, she picked up on that.

[my_own_advocate]

Yes, fine, it was about that soft spot, and about the guilt, and also just because Lucifer liked actually seeing her enjoy things.

That last one was even 75 percent in a PG sense, though the narrative wasn't willing or able to promise anything about the remaining quarter.

He padded up the stairs after her. "It seemed appropriate."

[okteiviakom]

"Don't know if it's that --" It was. "-- but it's welcome."

[my_own_advocate]

"I much prefer welcome over appropriate any day," Lucifer allowed, stepping onto the first floor landing. "Fits better with my aesthetic."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia managed a faint snort. "No surprise there."

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, stop being studiously disaffected and have some cake," Lucifer said, holding open the door to the bedroom.

Which was so vast that it was more 'a gentle recreation of his LA studio, to a point'.

[okteiviakom]

It was bigger than any space Octavia had ever called hers. But she'd gone by the bedroom enough times during her stay to not even blink at it anymore.

Heading for the cakes was obviously priority number one, now.

[my_own_advocate]

The cake was on a table in a little seating area by the balcony, and true to his word, Lucifer had brought two decently-sized cakes full of fruit to the proceedings. "I don't expect us to eat it all, but I'm not going to complain if you do."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia set her Squishy down, already reaching to get herself a slice of cake, the strawberry one.

"I can probably make a decent dent, anyway."

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, you do need some carbs to help you bench-press... whatever you probably bench press," Lucifer said, smirking.

He slid into one of the insufferably expensive-looking chairs.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia couldn't tell an expensive chair from a cheap one, and it was probably for the best for everyone.

"That's a gym reference, right?"

[my_own_advocate]

If she could tell expensive anything from anything, she might have rolled her eyes more at this entire house, yes.

"Weight lifting, I believe," Lucifer said.

[okteiviakom]

"Mmh."

There were bunker things to say to that, and Octavia was absolutely not going to. So she shrugged, and then took a seat in the chair by him, with her very healthy slice of cake.

... That she then didn't immediately start eating, also because of bunker things. But, give her a moment.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer cut himself off a slice, too. He'd seen her do... something before. Didn't think it was odd, really.

Instead, he waited.

[okteiviakom]

Not all foods triggered Octavia's Wonkru habits. Some made sense, some didn't. Cake was the latter. It wasn't even easily shareable: you couldn't break off a piece and give the rest away, from one hand to another.

So she just... looked down at it for a quiet little moment. Allowed, just for a few seconds, for her thoughts to go back to places she generally didn't want them to return to.

Then took her fork and actually broke off the first bite.

[my_own_advocate]

Yes, well, you never wanted to be the one to dig in while everyone else was having a moment.

Unless you were in church. Or everyone else was praying to Father over dinner. Anyway, Lucifer's narrative digressed.

He cut off his own bite. "This better be good," he said, "This bakery is supposed to be top notch."

[okteiviakom]

Lucifer could rest assured that his father had nothing to do with what Octavia had been thinking about.

"Pretty sure I won't be able to tell the difference either way," Octavia drawled, before popping the bite into her mouth.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer made an amused, fond little noise. "Yes, I suppose you won't," he said. "Which means the only thing that matters is if you like it."

He took a bite.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia chewed, clearly considering this piece of cake and its worth.

Then she swallowed, before declaring her verdict. "I do."

Didn't really need a top notch bakery to achieve that, though. She was consistently amazed by food having actual flavor here, still.

[my_own_advocate]

"Then I'm going to consider this a rousing success," Lucifer said, smirking.

Mostly reflex, since it slid away pretty quickly.

Lucifer of a few years ago would be appalled by how squishy he'd become, honestly.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia snorted, though just barely. "Sure, I guess so."

And stuffed her face with more cake.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "Again with the disaffection," he sighed.

And ate more cake, too.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia cast him a sidelong glance. "Don't invite me to your house if you can't handle how I am."

That sounded almost joking, if you knew how to listen carefully.

[my_own_advocate]

"There is a very large spectrum between 'handling you' and 'holding out hope you will rise above the urge to sound like a grunge frontman'," Lucifer sighed.

In terms of the words she used, not the actual timbre of her voice, which was actually pretty-- anyway.