The Devil's Nest, Tuesday Night

[my_own_advocate]

The pillow forts had been... a challenge. They weren't exactly nightclubby, after all.

But Lucifer had had them dressed up with fairy lights - the expensive, fancy kind - and that, at least, lent them some kind of... panache.

Look, shut up. He was trying. In fact, he wasn't even at the piano today: the gremlin big band set the ambiance much better tonight. All it had taken was some bribes and a red-eyed glare about the whole 'biting humans' thing, and they were good to go, playing an assortment of classic tunes and pop covers.

The Devil's Nest was open.

[[ discussion of drug use in the comments ]]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

"Give me a break, I went years without smiling or laughing almost ever," Octavia pointed out. "My face isn't used to it!"

The complain-y tone was slightly exaggerated, there.

"I'm going to strain something."

[my_own_advocate]

"Straining's just a way for your body to learn how to do something, darling," Lucifer said, making big eyes. "Honestly. Your previous life sounds like it was frequently miserable, which is not a state any human being should be in for so long."

Beat.

"Well, except for the rapists and the murderers of innocents, I suppose."

[okteiviakom]

That 'of innocents' was very important, right here.

Octavia snorted again.

And gave his hand a squeeze, in turn. "What's the treatment for a chronic lack of smiling, anyway?"

[my_own_advocate]

It certainly was to Lucifer, at least? There was a reason he'd added it.

"Plenty of time with people who actually appreciate you," he said. "And weed. And booze. And food. But largely the first one."

[okteiviakom]

One corner of Octavia's mouth twitched a little. "So I should be smiling right now, hm?"

Well. It seemed they had all four of those things covered right now, right?

(As long as chips counted as food.)

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes," Lucifer said, emphatically. "Thank you. I wasn't going to bring it up, but it's rather offensive that you're not smiling right now."

You could tell by his face how offensive it was!

[okteiviakom]

Clearly the only rational solution was for Octavia to press her lips tighter together, into a straight line.

... A kind of a wobbly, twitchy line after the first few seconds, but still a line!

[my_own_advocate]

"I would say close enough, but it isn't," Lucifer said, and reached over to push a blanket out of the way. "Tiny? Do we have any cake left?"

[okteiviakom]

"What, you think cake will crack me?"

There was a very good chance.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, obviously," Lucifer said, aiming his gaze at her. He dropped her hand, but his didn't go far. "Everybody cracks for cake."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia missed the touch as soon as it was gone. Still, she pushed herself a little more upright, because that was the only way she could actually lean towards him a little, her eyebrows raised, like a dare or a taunt.

"Ai nou bilaik mous kru."

I am not like most people. Duke could probably say at least variations of the phrase in his sleep by now.

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm sure you're not," Lucifer said, shooting her an easy grin, "But I bet you'll still crack for cake."

[okteiviakom]

"Remains to be seen," said Octavia, and promptly flopped back into the pillows.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer chuckled, moving one of his own pillows over so he was stretched out not too far from her. "You haven't seen this cake," he said.

He had no idea what cake Tiny was going to come back with.

[okteiviakom]

"No," Octavia agreed, "and until I do see it, I don't know if I'm going to believe there even is one. Could all just be a ruse."

[my_own_advocate]

Had Tiny planned it? Had Lucifer?

Either way, seconds after the word 'ruse' left her mouth, a perfect cheesecake with cherries on top was left in front of them.

"No ruse," Lucifer said easily.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's shortened attention span was on his side, right now. As soon as the cake was there, she was pushing herself more upright again, and exhaled a laugh - soft and tiny, but there.

"Okay, that's a cake."

[my_own_advocate]

"I do try to keep some food on hand behind closed doors, in case someone gets the munchies," Lucifer offered. "Straight from JGoB, this one."

[okteiviakom]

"So I don't have to worry about Tiny baking this?"

Tiny was very close to being the trustworthiest person at this entire establishment. She would not have worried.

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, I'm sure Tiny is a capable baker, if that's the sort of thing he's into," Lucifer said, reaching for a saucer and a slice. "But no."

[okteiviakom]

"I'm pretty sure Tiny's capable in everything he does."

Just a stray observation.

[my_own_advocate]

"And I appreciate it," Lucifer said solemnly. Remembering their conversation but moments before, he stuck his head out of the blanket fortress for a moment, and yelled, "Tiny! I appreciate you!"

Tiny made a vague gesture and walked back to the bar.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia was sadly not high enough to join in, because it was possible such a high did not exist.

But she did laugh, that delighted and half-surprised way she usually did, just louder.

And reached out for a piece of the cake.

[my_own_advocate]

"See," Lucifer said, receding back to flop on the pillows next to her. "It pays off."

[okteiviakom]

"The cake or the open appreciation?" Octavia asked.

Around a spoonful cake, goodbye manners.