The Perk, Monday afternoon

[betterthanaplan]

After the events of the weekend, Duke was feeling a powerful desire for caffeine. And familiar people who he didn't care much about. Basically some level of normal that didn't involve murder investigations or watching a good friend go back to someone who'd been kind of terrible for him.

So he dragged Octavia along with him to the Perk, with promises that something sugary would do wonders for post-party haze.

The baristas started putting an order together for them the moment they walked in the door. Sometimes you wanted to go where everybody knows your order.

[for the one modded, but also open!]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

Octavia wanted to go home.

Octavia knew being home wasn't actually going to do a damn thing to the feeling that was currently gnawing up her insides.

So, she was here. Quiet, stony, trying not to look as worn down as she felt. Trying not to look like she really wanted to just lean on Duke for support while the people behind the counter worked on the order they hadn't really placed.

She wasn't succeeding much in either of those things.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke wasn't about to tell her not to.

"Told you," he said softly. Carefully lifting his arm to wrap around her waist. "It's not so much fun afterwards."

[okteiviakom]

The only reason Octavia's shoulders didn't get tense at that was that they already were.

Her vague noise was just that, a noise. Didn't really sound like agreement, didn't really sound like disagreement either.

[betterthanaplan]

"He'll come home." That arm drifted upwards to rub her shoulder. "You'll see. He will."

He didn't entirely believe that. But it wouldn't be the first time he'd offered a comforting lie.

[okteiviakom]

"Don't," Octavia replied, mild and quiet. "Tired of people shoving hope at me."

Especially when she was feeling bad about wanting it in the first place.

"It's Lucifer's life, he can do what he wants."

[betterthanaplan]

"Yeah," Duke agreed, pulling his arm away with a faint wince. "Even if his choice pisses us off."

The barista set their drinks on the counter. "You two want these or not?"

[okteiviakom]

There it was, that little bit of extra tension in Octavia's shoulders. Guess it really was possible after all.

She stepped up, reaching for one of the drinks. Blindly - it wasn't like she knew what they thought her order was, and right now couldn't bring herself to care.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke watched her move, shoving his hands into his pockets. One of these days, he'd figure out how to actually make her feel better when she got like this. (Or he wouldn't. And he'd have to be okay with that, because he wasn't actually on this earth to just so he could make other people feel better.)

(Sometimes, he even managed to almost believe that.)

"Thanks," he said, giving the barista a nod as he pulled out his wallet. "Can we get some of that coffee cake, too?"

[okteiviakom]

Maybe one of these days he would remember he could ask, too.

Holding her coffee but not sipping it just yet, Octavia glanced over at his hands, and at the cake in question, but her face was impassive. And so, so tired.

[betterthanaplan]

That was just crazy talk!

The barista passed over a couple plates of cake as Duke finished paying. "Thanks, man." He turned to Octavia and nodded to a corner table. "Let's sit?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia didn't nod, but she did turn to make her way over to the table, so...

Good enough.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke sat down across from her, dipping his chin to try for some eye contact. "Good coffee?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shrugged impassively as she went to take a sip - but as soon as she had, an actual expression bloomed, and she ended up looking vaguely surprised, vaguely confused, as she looked at the drink in her hand like she was just now seeing it for the first time.

That was not a taste she'd had in her mouth in a long time.

[betterthanaplan]

Huh. That was . . . not expected.

"Good coffee," he said, smiling. "What'd they give you?"

[okteiviakom]

"This is a pumpkin spice latte," Octavia replied, still staring at the drink. Her voice had gone a little far-away again, like the words came straight from some long-forgotten corner of her memory. "This used to be my favorite."

[betterthanaplan]

"It is about that time again, isn't it," Duke mused. "Maybe it can be your favorite again."

[okteiviakom]

"It's been a long time," Octavia muttered. "I don't like all the same things anymore."

Except she did. She just had problems with letting herself like some of them.

She took another sip.

[betterthanaplan]

"You still like some of them, though," Duke pointed out. "You know, I bet it'd go real good with some apple brandy, too."

[okteiviakom]

"Don't tease me with things you don't have on you right now," Octavia sighed.

[betterthanaplan]

"Not teasing. Just . . . observing. For the future."

Was he kicking himself for not having any apple brandy on him right now? Yes. Yes he was.

[okteiviakom]

"Counts as teasing."

She reached for one of the pieces of cake.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke slid the plate over to her. "Well, next time I promise to have some on hand for you."

[okteiviakom]

"You don't have to," Octavia replied, a little softer, a little weaker.

Her hand hesitated for a second, then tried to catch his.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke gave her hand a squeeze in return. "I want to. I like being able to take care of you. Make you happy."

[okteiviakom]

"With apple brandy?" Octavia asked.

Someone else might have tried for a smile, but she had to get by with just a slight softening of her expression.