The Onsen, Thursday

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had had a rough few --

Okay, no. Octavia had been having a rough time practically all the time for longer than she could remember. If she hadn't been so avoidant of people and public spaces for most of the month she'd been back on Fandom, it would have been surprising that it had taken her this long to find her way to the onsen.

But she was there now. And feeling a mix of disappointment and annoyance that the goddamned background music was playing here, too. But she wasn't going to let that sway her into leaving, or anything. She'd survived much worse.

(And how.)

Clad in the most sensible of her new bathing suits - a simple black halterneck with a sporty feel - Octavia got in the water. Took a seat, submerged up to her neck, and let the warmth try and soothe away at least some of the tension.

There was too much of it for any one cure to take away it all.

[ooc: Open!]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

Octavia had to be glad that Lucifer had at least caught on to some of her habits in terms of leaving cryptic messages to figure out that had been an invitation, or she would've been bombarded with any number of questioning text messages in return.

Instead he showed up at the onsen and, after some discussion at the door, opted for a bathing suit slightly less revealing than his much-beloved Stars and Stripes speedo. You were welcome, Octavia.

"Are question marks really that difficult?" he asked, upon entry.

[okteiviakom]

"What do I need one for?" Octavia retorted without opening her eyes. "Clearly didn't stop you."

[my_own_advocate]

"Communication?" Lucifer suggested, stepping into the water. "Clarity?"

He almost pointed out these things were usually done naked, but five seconds before it left his mouth it dawned on him why she might not have.

[okteiviakom]

Did he figure it would be the same reason Octavia hadn't let him buy her anything that revealed her midriff?

Yeah.

Her eyes blinked open, and she glanced over. "I communicated I was here."

Barely.

[my_own_advocate]

And Lucifer had felt oddly lonely since she left the house and coming here was a much better alternative to brooding by the water all morning.

He sank down into place with a sigh. "What, did you not want me to show up?"

[okteiviakom]

"I gave you the option of coming where I was," Octavia retorted.

[my_own_advocate]

"How passive aggressive of you," Lucifer said.

The hot water was nice.

[okteiviakom]

"And that worked on you."

Did she seem... faintly smug?

Must have been a trick of the light.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer rolled his eyes. "I was bored," he said.

As well as other things.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shrugged and turned her head forward again.

"Still worked."

[my_own_advocate]

"'Dear Lucifer, I want to hang out in hot water wearing bathing suits, would you like to do the same?'" Lucifer said, kind of melting into the water. "It's not difficult."

[okteiviakom]

"It's also not me," Octavia replied, closing her eyes again. The water was nice, yes.

[my_own_advocate]

"You can ask direct questions," Lucifer said, following suit. "I've seen it."

[okteiviakom]

"And if I don't want to?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Then don't be surprised if people call your bluff and don't show up," Lucifer pointed out.

[okteiviakom]

"That's what an option is," Octavia pointed out in turn, "dear Lucifer."

That was a very half-hearted attempt at copying his accent at the end, there.

[fh_animalcrossing]

Cherry had wandered in and was mainly just looking at things. She did give a smile, though, which seemed to involve a little ting in the air for a second.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia couldn't tell whether that was a product of Fandom, this new... person, or just her own forever-exhausted state of mind.

She gave a very slow nod of greeting, all the same.

[fh_animalcrossing]

"This place is so interesting!" Cherry said. "I've never been in a place like this, what what!"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's eyebrows ticked just barely upward.

"This is the onsen," she offered, her voice all rasp.

[fh_animalcrossing]

"The onsen! That's such a great word!" Cherry said. "Thanks for teaching me! What, what!"

[okteiviakom]

A beat went by.

Then, Octavia said, slowly, "Sure. You're welcome."

[fh_animalcrossing]

"Thanks! For being so nice, have this," Cherry said, pulling out a folded up shirt from her pockets. "It's a pocket tee!"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia clearly needed to start spending more time with Magnus again. Maybe then she would have been better prepared for this interaction.

She stared at the shirt for just a moment too long before reaching for it.

"Thanks," she said, with a sudden, odd note of sincerity. Shut up, she didn't get many gifts.

[fh_animalcrossing]

"It's the least I can do, what what!"

It didn't take much.