The Devil's Nest, Friday Night

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer hadn't given in to this particular itch in a long time.

Had, in fact, succesfully staved it off on this island for months.

But after the past few weeks, that gleam of vacation, that filter that made everything look more pleasant and vivid because it was intended to be a temporary indulgence, it had slid right off of reality.

So he gave into it.

"When you were here... before," he sang, his fingers pressing down gently on the piano. "Couldn't look you in the eye..."

You're just like an angel. Your skin makes me cry. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, perhaps. Or letting the image of her tear-stained face as she cracked, I don't know! burn its way from his mind back into his eyes.

"You float like a feather in a beautiful wo-o-orld..."

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Comments

[betterthanaplan]

After just listening for a few measures, Duke signaled to Tiny, then came over to the piano and set a glass of the very best liquor the bar had in front of Lucifer without a word.

Then went back to the bar to keep drinking away his own woes.

[ohvalleyofpenis]

Jaskier was just enthralled with the song, settling in to listen to the whole thing. Look, he'd been sticking to pop on the Spotify that Kathy had shown him. This was exciting and new!

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer didn't pick the glass up off the piano until he was finished - of course.

He saluted Duke with it grimly, before gulping down half of it.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer stepped away from the piano after some time, and threw a glance around the club.

Oh. Jaskier.

He repressed a resigned sigh and took a moment to slap his host face back on, before descending the stage. "Has Tiny gotten your drink order yet?"

[betterthanaplan]

Duke saluted back, and took a rather smaller sip of his own drink.

He wouldn't go over and talk if it looked like Lucifer wanted to start up another song. Sometimes a man just wanted to drink and mope musically in peace, after all.

[ohvalleyofpenis]

"I was too distracted by the song to order," he admitted. "You have talent."

[betterthanaplan]

"Right." Duke offered Jaskier a small salute with his drink. "So . . . guess I should be a good 'teaching buddy' and check in and see how you're doing."

Hannibal had done that for Duke, and it had actually been pretty helpful! Hannibal hadn't also been dealing with a personal crisis at the time as far as Duke knew, but still. . . .

[ohvalleyofpenis]

"Oh!" Jaskier had nearly forgotten about getting his free food too. "I've found extra employment and purchased a cell phone."

He said 'cell phone' so delicately. It was adorable.

[betterthanaplan]

"That's good, that's very handy. Where you working?"

Duke had been listening to radio, but anything that wasn't "and Octavia showed up and is fine!" tended to go a bit in one ear and out the other.

[ohvalleyofpenis]

"'Dite's Decadent Delights," Jaskier said with aplomb.

[betterthanaplan]

"The, uh. The sex shop." Duke nodded slowly. "Interesting choice."

[ohvalleyofpenis]

"A bit crude, but yes. The sex shop." Where Jaskier had spent most of his time learning new music and how to record himself to be a fucking YouTube sensation. "The proprietress is a woman of unparalleled beauty."

[betterthanaplan]

"Kathy, right? Yeah, I've met her. Don't think I made the best impression. Accidentally threw her into a wall. . . . Some women aren't into that."

[ohvalleyofpenis]

Jaskier gave a squawk of abject horror. "Why would you do that?"

[betterthanaplan]

"I said it was an accident," Duke pointed out. "We were fighting killer clowns at the time."

You know, as you do.

[ohvalleyofpenis]

"...killer clowns?" Well, that was as of a good distraction as any.

[my_own_advocate]

Ah, but Lucifer had to go and be a host to Jaskier at some point. Afterwards, he finally released that pent-up sigh and made his way to where Duke was sitting.

He sat down on the next stool over and motioned for Tiny to bring him another drink.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, I know," Lucifer said brightly. "But thank you for recognizing it. Not everyone has a sense of taste." He lifted his chin towards Tiny. "What can he get you?"

[ohvalleyofpenis]

Jaskier scoffed over the philistines who could not appreciate the wonder of Radiohead. Or his current love, Ms. Britney Jean Spears.

"Dealer's choice. The world of drinks appears to be wide open here."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer considered Jaskier for a moment.

"Hm," he said. "Let's start with an amaretto sour for this one."

[betterthanaplan]

"Very stabby," Duke confirmed. "It was a Halloween thing."

He was maybe channeling Magnus a bit here. Sorry, Jaskier.

[ohvalleyofpenis]

"My thanks," he replied with a nod. "Now, you wouldn't be hiring for entertainment would you? I have yet to get the hang of filming myself as Kathy has suggested."

The ding dang phone just kept falling over.

"And the need to perform never truly is sated by practice alone."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke waited for the next drink to arrive before speaking.

"Still can't call home, huh?"

[ohvalleyofpenis]

That was fair. That was totally fair.

"Huh," Jaskier said slowly. He was going to need to find a place to hide or someone to hide behind should that happen again. He was too delicate to fight, Duke! Too delicate!

[betterthanaplan]

At least there were plenty of fighty folks around here for him to choose from!

"But yeah. Anyway. She seemed nice enough. Hope she's a good boss." He sipped his bourbon. "How's your class?"