The Beach, Monday Morning

[my_own_advocate]

Was Lucifer Morningstar actually awake on a Monday morning?

Yes, actually. The morning was supposed to be nice and sunny, the afternoon anything but, and if he couldn't go to LA, he'd just have to bring the LA to him.

Or, at the least, he'd brought a beach chair to the beach. Lucifer had now sprawled on said beach chair, aviator sunglasses and all, a Mai Thai in a tall glass resting in the sand beside him.

Occasionally he squinted up against the sun to eye his phone.

... he was browsing Tik Toks, what of it?

"Ah, pretending the cat's singing with a box on its head! That's quite clever!"

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[betterthanaplan]

"Beaches are getting crowded," Duke observed as he walked up. "Must be summer."

[my_own_advocate]

"I'd say sorry for claiming your spot," Lucifer said, waving vaguely at him with the non-phone-holding-hand, "But let's be honest, your sober yoga on the beach aesthetic works much better when it's overcast and moody."

[betterthanaplan]

"Is that your way of telling me I should do my yoga drunk?" Duke sat down on the sand and tilted his face into the sun. "I suppose I could take that under advisement."

[my_own_advocate]

"It's my way of telling you the sun's out and that means the beach is for tanning," Lucifer told him. "But thankfully, you appear to have already gotten that memo."

[betterthanaplan]

"You know, for an ancient mystical being, you have very limited ideas about what things in the world are for," Duke observed. "I can tan and do yoga at the same time. I contain multitudes."

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, but why would you?" Lucifer said. "There are many things I could be doing, but some things are simply better than others."

[betterthanaplan]

"Because mortal bodies tend to break if you don't use them regularly." Duke peered at Lucifer's phone. "So tell me, oh Wise Immortal One, what simply-better thing are you doing this morning?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, I started off making some Tik Toks for the Devil's Nest," Lucifer said, lowering the phone, "And then I realized I should probably watch some Tik Toks for inspiration, first."

[betterthanaplan]

"I have very little idea what a Tik Tok is," Duke admitted. "Or why your club needs them."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer eyed him, let out a sigh, and motioned for him to get closer. "It's an app," he said helpfully. "Of people doing funny things to music. Or just funny things in general, really."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke scooted closer to take a look. "Okay. And what funny thing is the Devil's Nest going to do, then?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, I haven't decided yet, obviously, or I wouldn't need the inspiration," Lucifer sighed, clicking on a video-- "Ha! She tricked him and dropped an egg on him, that's brilliant!"

[betterthanaplan]

"That sounds like the stuff I used to do when I was in, like, third grade. And was a little shit head."

[my_own_advocate]

"I know, it's funny," Lucifer said, snickering, as he lowered the phone.

[betterthanaplan]

"You know, you're just lending credence to all the people who used to call me 'devil-spawn'."

[my_own_advocate]

"You really need to ask yourself why you still think that's a bad thing," Lucifer pointed out.

[betterthanaplan]

"Well, at the time it was because I stuck tacks in my friend's back."

His and Nathan's relationship had been tumultuous from the start.

[my_own_advocate]

"Experimenting with torture, were we?"

[betterthanaplan]

"He couldn't feel it." Duke shrugged, not at all as nonchalant about this as he wished he was. "It was back during the first run of the troubles back home. I got it into my head to see how many we could put in him before he noticed."

The answer was sixteen. Nathan hadn't realized anything was wrong until the girl they'd sent him to go talk to screamed because he was covered in blood.

"So -- yeah, pretty sure I was one of those people giving you a bad name."

[my_own_advocate]

Well, that was interesting.

Lucifer peered at him over the rim of his glasses. "How long did it take?" he asked.

[betterthanaplan]

"We got sixteen into him. He never would have noticed if someone hadn't pointed it out." Duke shook his head. "It's not an excuse, but that was right around when my dad died, too. Life at home was shit, so I might as well make it shit for everyone else, you know?"

Also, he'd gotten this weird pleasure out of making Nathan bleed. In retrospect, he was pretty sure his trouble had been active back then, too.

[my_own_advocate]

"Bit disturbing," Lucifer said, "But you wouldn't be the first to act out because of bloody tragic parenting."

[crimson_sister]

"You seem in a better mood today."

It had become a habit for Lucille to walk along the beach, despite the bright light. A black lace umbrella and dark sunglasses protected her from the sun, if not from the heat, but the sea breeze was pleasant.

[my_own_advocate]

"The sun's out," Lucifer called, "And I have drinks. It's as close to not miserable as this place can get."

[crimson_sister]

"You are easy to satisfy," Lucille said with an amused smile. "Did you manage to make that phone call, then?"