The Devil's Nest, Tuesday Night

[my_own_advocate]

It was Tuesday, and the Devil was done sleeping off the weekend. It had been an inspiring one, especially near the end, as one could tell by the music flowing from his piano right now.

Well, maybe it had been that, and 'googling how to make anaemic pop palatable'.

Either way, you could kind of tell what he was playing if you squinted.

Comments

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

"You assumed Duke spoke for me," Octavia retorted, "when you know better than that."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

"Do I?" Lucifer said sharply. "I'm not a psychic, Octavia."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's eyebrows quirked, just a little. "Funny, Duke said that same thing about you."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

"That apparently everyone here needs to learn to use their fucking words."

Octavia drained the rest of her glass while she looked for hers.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

"I tried asking Duke what he meant, but before we got anywhere, he started prattling on about yoga," Lucifer said, after a short pause.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

"Because he probably didn't think it mattered," Octavia replied, after a pause of her own, trying for a more even tone again. "Because he thought he was just teasing."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

"I can just never tell with you people when you mean something or not," Lucifer said, after a short pause. "I used to. I thought."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

Octavia finally hit a genuinely mild tone, after that.

"And then she came along and ruined it?"

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

"...It was easier when I had Dr. Linda around," Lucifer allowed.

He'd probably have broken into her office and gotten some decent advice.

Which he would have largely ignored, but the end result might have been somewhat less disastrous.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

Octavia finally set her empty glass aside, then looked up at him again. "I'm sorry."

For which part? Take your pick.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer made a vague gesture with his hand. "I didn't come here to make friends, but since you lot are now made, I'd rather not lose you because I missed something."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

"Ask louder, next time," Octavia suggested with a drawl that lacked any bite. Then she shook her head, although the motion was a small one. "Duke doesn't think you're a monster. I don't, either."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer sighed. Ran his fingers through his hair.

"Can I go refill my drink now?"

Lucifer, you were a very old celestial, stop sounding like a five-year-old in front of the twentysomething.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

"You could have gone to refill your drink whenever you wanted."

Just saying.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

Yeah, okay, that least got an irritated scoff out of Lucifer, who scampered over to get his bottle.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

Octavia watched him, while thinking this whole thing over.

Sometimes it just hit her how little sense her life made. Especially now that it was no longer just about survival.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer found that life making sense was generally a danger sign that it was about to start making a whole lot less sense than it did five minutes ago, something he was expressly not pontificating on as he filled up a particularly large glass of whiskey.

And then came back.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

Octavia didn't immediately say anything.

Just turned her empty glass slowly back and forth against the bar, some manner of restless energy bleeding through a little bit.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

"Sorry, did you want some too?" Lucifer asked.

At least a quarter of that was checking in on whatever seemed to be keeping her moving.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

Octavia was just both too tired and too awake at the same time.

"No," she said, with a small shake of her head. The glass kept turning. "Had enough for tonight."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

"All right," Lucifer said, bringing up his glass for a firm sip.

This much emotionally complicated conversation in one night had him longing back to the sorority house.

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

And Octavia didn't even have being college-aged going for her anymore.

She wondered whether she should have just shut up. But didn't.

"This was too many hurt feelings over one stupid joke."

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer lowered his glass. She was definitely making a lot of statements about things. "Okay?"

Re: Talk to Lucifer

[okteiviakom]

Octavia was still grasping at her own thoughts, though. Not really sure where she was going with them.

If anywhere.

She fell quiet again. Pushed the glass further away, then finally let go of it, and pushed her hair back.