The Perk, Monday Morning

[okteiviakom]

"What do you mean 'the season's over'?"

Apparently one of the side effects of having been a raccoon for a month, and then wrapped up in various other transformations and assorted drama meant that you missed the back half of when your favorite caffeinated beverage was sold.

And this was how Octavia ended up sitting at a corner table, nursing a disappointing peppermint mocha instead of the PSL she'd come in for.

[ooc: Open!]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"Not debatable by anyone with taste," Lucifer said. He cleared his throat, realizing he'd gone a bit off track. "I'm getting another one of these, can I order you anything?"

[okteiviakom]

Off. Week.

Octavia shook her head. "I'm good," she said. "Just came here for the coffee." And hadn't gotten what she'd actually wanted, but oh well.

[my_own_advocate]

"I can always see about ordering you some PSL from abroad or something," Lucifer said, walking to the counter.

And wondering if maybe he should actually talk more about the past month or so.

[okteiviakom]

"We --"

No.

"Duke has a tub of pumpkin spice creamer." It was for her. Maybe she should've brought it over to the Samsara. "But it's not the same."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer placed his order, then looked over his shoulder at her. "What, like getting it in a small-town coffee joint?" Beat. "No offense."

[okteiviakom]

"It's not the same," Octavia repeated, simply.

[my_own_advocate]

"Right," Lucifer said. "Well, I'm sure raccoon-you managed to enjoy one or two of them, the way you were diving into those dumpsters."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia didn't bother replying to that. She was watching him now, thinking about a few things.

Last Wednesday. The previous weekend.

And for whatever reason, Duke's worries about being left behind.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer's eyebrows went up, though at least she didn't seem to be angry-brooding at him this time.

He wandered back to her table and sprawled back into his seat.

[okteiviakom]

She wasn't brooding. At least, she didn't think she was, though that didn't mean it didn't look like it from the outside.

"Did Duke tell you about our little trip?" she asked, after a moment.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, your sudden and brief introduction to the wonderful late 40s," Lucifer said, sipping his drink.

[okteiviakom]

"That one," Octavia said with a little nod. "It was weird."

For a couple of reasons.

[my_own_advocate]

"It was a bit of a ridiculous caper, if I recall correctly," Lucifer said lightly. He tapped his cup absently. "But Lilith wants what she wants."

[okteiviakom]

"Not to be immortal," Octavia said, mild. Almost carefully so.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, well," Lucifer said. He contemplated his cup, or maybe just the ring that rested against it. "Apparently it didn't work out as she'd planned. I went to see her last week."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had both her hands around her own cup.

"And how was she?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Untalkative," Lucifer said. "And dying, by the looks of it."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's tone took on a faintly wry tilt. "Sounds very human to me."

[my_own_advocate]

"In this little run-down apartment, anonymous and wasting away," Lucifer said.

He brought up his cup again.

"Not how I thought she'd go."

[okteiviakom]

"She made her choice," Octavia replied, the shrug more in her voice than in her shoulders. Her follow-up was more of a mutter, though. "It's all any of us can really do."

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, it was a rather dramatic one," Lucifer said. "Suppose that was her style, though."

He eyed his drink again, and thought about spiking it. Then decided not to.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave that a quiet, thoughtful hum. Brought her drink up and took a sip.

It was starting to cool a little too much for how much she still had left. But that didn't matter much.

"I saw you," she said, eventually. "After she walked away."

[my_own_advocate]

"I had a few good nights after that, partying it up with the best and brightest," Lucifer mused, nostalgia coloring his voice.

(He had never made a point of thinking too much about that particular night.)

[okteiviakom]

"Of course," said Octavia.

And took another sip.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer's turn to look out the window and sip his drink thoughtfully.

"Hope you didn't wind up in too much trouble back there. Neither of you quite fit the aesthetic."