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

[okteiviakom]

"Got one," Octavia called back. "Don't worry."

It was the sporty black one, because of course.

[my_own_advocate]

"Good, 'cause the water's getting there," Lucifer said, wandering back into the room. "Congratulations, the difficult questions hour is over. Just cake and puns from here on in."

Unlikely, but a celestial could dream.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia wasn't going to ask him whether they'd met before. But only because the look she gave him kind of did the same thing.

"Well, we can try."

[my_own_advocate]

"A Devil can dream," Lucifer sighed, walking past the piano - it had been moved to sit in front of his bed sometime in the last few months, what with Seivarden's preoccupation with him playing it. "You remeember where the bathroom is," he called, as he undid the top button of his shirt.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shoveled the remains of her cake slice into her mouth. No, it wouldn't have gone anywhere while she went to change, but... Cake.

Look, just let her have the small pleasures she could still allow herself.

"This was our house for like a week," she said as she got up. "Yeah, I remember."

[my_own_advocate]

"Still yours when you need it," Lucifer called idly over his shoulder, stripping out of his shirt.

[okteiviakom]

Yeah, Octavia knew that, too. Funnily enough.

(That she believed him? That was somehow the weird part.)

She didn't answer. Just took her bag and headed for the bathroom. A week had been plenty of time to get comfortable with the house, even with how much she'd stuck to the guest room.

[my_own_advocate]

The house did feel slightly less too-big with her in it again. Not that Lucifer was about to bring it up. He had a bathing suit of his own to change into.

For her sake, anyway. It didn't take long, and he was heading back out onto the balcony with a newly-refilled glass of wine in one hand and a brandy in the other.

Just in case she wanted it.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia showed up a moment later, in her swimsuit. She was pulling her hair into a ponytail as she stepped out onto the balcony.

Fun fact: the hair tie was one of Duke's. She was yet to accept she should probably get her own.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer looked up and grinned at her.

And... okay, his gaze dipped down her body for about five seconds, because he wasn't dead, and remembering to keep his eyes on her face was a bit harder now that the air of immediate trauma had lifted a bit. "Drinks?" he said, holding up her glass, looking back up.

[okteiviakom]

Under the reign of Duke's cooking, Octavia's figure had been filling out again. So, there was more to look at, and she wasn't deathly pale anymore.

He was welcome.

Also Octavia skipped her eyeroll in favor of just a very deliberate dip of her own gaze from his face to his chest, just to said she'd noticed his five seconds.

"Sure," she said then, reaching for the brandy, "thanks."

[my_own_advocate]

"You're welcome," Lucifer said, turning.

So he could get in the hot tub, and not anything else. "The onsen is fine, don't get me wrong, but I much prefer the view up here."

Even if it was only three stories, instead of Lux's tower.

[okteiviakom]

It was too bad any urge for ogling Octavia had had in the past was yet to really fill back in.

She took a sip from the glass before following him into the hot tub.

"I don't know, feels like too different a thing to even compare them."

[my_own_advocate]

Wasn't like Lucifer was in any rush, or had any expectations, or any qualms about taking his shirt off again later if the urge ever came back. Really, she just needed to ask.

"It's hot water in a tub either way," Lucifer pointed out. "This is just a smaller tub."

[okteiviakom]

"Because of the view," Octavia retorted in a particularly heavy drawl as she settled down.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer rolled his eyes, mostly at her attitude, and reached for his wine. "I thought you might like seeing the woods from here."

[okteiviakom]

Hey, if he didn't want the attitude, he only needed to not misunderstand what she said to him! It was perfectly reasonable.

If you happened to be Octavia, that was.

Anyway, her gaze was almost immediately drawn to the treetops in the distance. "It's a new angle on them."

[my_own_advocate]

"Very observant," Lucifer teased.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave him a withering look.

... Okay, possibly exasperated fondness. Sue her.

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, come on," Lucifer said, giving her a playful nudge with his foot, because he couldn't help himself. "Can I get at least five percent less glower?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia glowered harder.

It looked... very fake, actually.

[my_own_advocate]

So fake it actually made Lucifer laugh, so congratulations. "Not quite."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia herself didn't laugh, of course. Or even smile.

But the corners of her lips twitched enough for her to bow her head a little, that old, old urge to hide bubbling up.

"Careful what you ask for," she rasped.

[my_own_advocate]

"I work with Eric," Lucifer sighed. "At least your glowering is slightly less dour and annoying."

[okteiviakom]

"Thanks."

Octavia took another sip, then looked up again. Towards the trees.

Thought for a quiet moment, and then said, "You know, I'm almost surprised Duke doesn't try to stop me from going there."