The Devil's Nest, Tuesday Night

[my_own_advocate]

It was a Tuesday night, and Lucifer still existed in a state of 'worried, but repressing it'. Duke was gone, Octavia was sullen, and he hadn't been able to get several of his favorite suits cleaned that morning.

All very worrisome things, yes.

Which was why he was at the piano at the Devil's Nest, working his way through Metallica's entire piano-related oeuvre. No, he hadn't hit The Unforgiven yet, but it was coming.

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[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden waited until Lucifer had finished the song before walking up to the piano, a drink for each of them in her hand.

"I'm glad I got some new clothes," she said with a frown. "The laundry machine isn't working. Is this an island thing?"

This was Seivarden just generally blaming the island rather than her being perceptive.

[my_own_advocate]

"... I don't know," Lucifer said, looking up, frowning. "I haven't been able to get dry cleaning done around here."

[1000yearstoolate]

She handed him the drink.

"Definitely an island thing, then."

Seivarden was about to comment on how depressing the music sounded, but realised in time it would just bring up the wrong subject. Instead she sat down on the edge of the seat next to Lucifer.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, that's going to be annoying," Lucifer sighed, plucking her glass of the piano.

[1000yearstoolate]

"I hope it's just today," Seivarden said, taking a sip from her drink before adding: "But I don't count on it."

"Do you have plans for later tonight?" she continued, not sure if Octavia still needed Lucifer's attention.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer shrugged idly. "I still have a houseguest," he said.

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden didn't sigh. Or comment. She slipped an arm around Lucifer's waist.

"I saw your post on Instagram about the party."

[my_own_advocate]

"I figured I should make sure we get enough advertising," Lucifer said, grinning up at her. "Since you're not flyering."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Isn't flyering old-fashioned?" Seivarden said. "I thought social media was a better way to let people know what's going on."

And quite old-fashioned by Radchaai standards of course.

[my_own_advocate]

"It is," Lucifer said, still grinning, "But you were the one looking for something useful to do. I mean, I guess you can try the flower shop's Insta..."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Or my own," Seivarden said.

Which was followed by Lucifer, Amaya and Summer.

"I'm sure there's something else I can do."

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm more than happy to hear your ideas," Lucifer said, tilting his head. "... I suppose the beach could use some nice flowers for impact."

This party was going to distinguish itself from all the previous beach parties by being extremely over the top. And that was without knowing everyone was going to lose their tops.

[1000yearstoolate]

"Of course!"

Why hadn't she thought of this herself?

"There's still time to order something special."

[okteiviakom]

Yeah, yeah. Octavia and Lucifer were already spending far too much time in each other's general vicinity. (Or the same building, anyway. Octavia mostly kpet to herself, holed up in the guest room.) Maybe showing up at his club halfway into the evening might have seemed to some like more of the same.

But it was a question of baby steps. She made it this far only because she'd listened to radio, and knew Duke had left for Haven yesterday, so there was no chance of accidentally running into him.

And anyway, she stuck by the bar again. Listening to Lucifer play, trying to place the vague familiarity of the songs.

With a glass of bourbon in hand.

[my_own_advocate]

For all that they'd been stuck in the same house for days, she still got a quick smile as he looked up from the piano.

A few more bars of song left to go.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia didn't smile, but there was still something slightly softer about her answering look and her little nod than there had been in recent times.

Nothing big, but still.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer ended the song with a heavy chord, giving it a moment to ring through the club.

Then he slid up to his feet and took a quick bow to the people in there. "Thank you, I'll be here all night," he said, grinning.

Then he headed to the bar.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia looked over once he did. Her voice was a low rasp, just like it tended to be, these days. "Which one was that?"

She'd almost been able to place it.

[my_own_advocate]

"Metallica," Lucifer specified, mouth curving. Faintly, this time. "'One'."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia made a faint 'mm' noise, like she thought she should have been able to figure that one out.

"Used to like them."

When music beyond the Wonkru anthem had still been a thing in her life.

[my_own_advocate]

"Used to? Suppose there's not a great deal of record collections left in the post-apocalyptic future," Lucifer mused. "Pity."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shrugged. "My friend Jasper had an mp3 player, left from the pre-apocalypse days." And wow, had she not been thinking about him in a long time. "That's all."

[my_own_advocate]

"Are you telling me mp3-players survived the apocalypse?" Lucifer said, blinking. "I knew Discmans are going to turn up working in landfills for the next three hundred years, but that one is a surprise."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia didn't bother shrugging again. "Don't think it was a fully original one. Probably had most of its parts replaced over the century."

She took a little sip from her glass.

"But that's just my guess. I never got a good look at it."

[my_own_advocate]

"It's an mp3-player, I don't blame you," Lucifer said, gesturing to Tiny for another drink. "There has to be music you still do like."