The Boardwalk, Wednesday Morning-ish

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer had gone to bed angry, and woken up slightly less so. Still, enough so that he'd gone for a walk. At least one of his partners had proven less than receptive to his frustration, and he did not particularly want to hear any of Octavia's pithy dismissals, even if she did have, perhaps, a quarter of a point.

But he didn't go far. It had been quite warm of late, and years in LA, followed by years with boat people, had made him rather amenable to the ocean.

(He was not, on the other hand, going to cop to Duke's fashion sense inspiring him to wander out in just an unbuttoned white shirt and some black slacks.)

He found a set of steps leading down from the boardwalk to the water, no doubt a place to put a sloop or some other minor baby boat, and sat down at the very edge. He dangled his lower legs into the water, and brought his flask full of precious (currently rare) scotch to his mouth, took a sip, and sighed.

Yes. Much better.

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Comments

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had gone to bed unimpressed. She continued to be that now, too! So, when she left the Rouge with the intention of heading out into the preserve for a bit, and headed down the boardwalk only to catch sight of him, sitting out there --

She was not in any sort of a hurry to go over to him.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer looked up-- and saw her.

He raised his eyebrows.

Should he say something?

[okteiviakom]

Personally, Octavia was hoping to just wait this out until all the scotch returned and/or his obsessive fit ended, since her opinions on the topic weren't welcome.

Still, when she saw he'd seen her, she raised one hand in a wave that was mostly just in the fingers.

But she made even that look dry as cardboard.

[my_own_advocate]

The stubborn part of him - the one that had been out in full force last night - wanted to ignore her after that. But it was a little less prevalent, with the water so nice and his mind more settled.

Lucifer raised his hand and gave her a less dry, more sincere wave. "Going out for a walk?"

Why, that didn't even sound combative.

[okteiviakom]

"The preserve."

Yes, that was all. And kind of flat.

[my_own_advocate]

Right. He could let that go.

... He didn't want to, though.

"Can we talk?" Lucifer asked, after a brief second.

[okteiviakom]

"About?"

... Look, that was still a better response than the 'do we have to?' that wanted to bubble up.

[my_own_advocate]

"Last night?" Lucifer prompted. "Or, perhaps more specifically, burying the hatchet."

[okteiviakom]

"I don't have a hatchet." Much. "I'm just waiting for your scotch problem to resolve itself."

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, we both are, obviously," Lucifer sighed, "But I would prefer not to take my frustration out on you again, and I assume you would prefer not to be annoyed with me..."

[okteiviakom]

"It's usually better, yeah."

Sorry, the dry was probably going to stick for a while, even though she appreciated that he wasn't yelling at her anymore.

[my_own_advocate]

"So consider this an invitation to come sit with me," Lucifer said slowly, "And we'll exchange three words about it to settle the whole affair and that'll be all."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia sighed, not entirely unlike a petulant child.

But then she padded over, to kick off her shoes and then slump down next to him on the steps.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer cleared his throat. "So I may have overreacted."

[okteiviakom]

"Really?"

Okay, there was finally something warm in her tone. Just, covered by a thick layer of sarcasm.

[my_own_advocate]

"To you," Lucifer clarified. "I stand by being upset with our supplier. But I was upset, and I felt unheard by you, and made it your problem."

... yes he'd spoken to Linda last night, could you tell?

[okteiviakom]

Just a little bit. Octavia wasn't going to call any attention to it.

"I'm sorry you didn't feel heard."

She could give him that much, at least.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer nodded. "Thank you."

[okteiviakom]

"And I guess I get being upset with the supplier." Sort of. More or less. "I just don't get how it's... that important. It's not like you were planning to go swim in the stuff."

[my_own_advocate]

"I don't need you to understand why," Lucifer said, reaching out for her hand. Carefully. "But it is important to me."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia turned her hand palm side up when she saw his hand move. Open invitation.

"Okay."

But if it was that important to him, why didn't he use his resources to fix it? she did not ask, despite thinking it. Progress.

[my_own_advocate]

"All right."

Lucifer settled his hand on her palm. "I won't bring it up with you again this week."

[okteiviakom]

Her fingers curled around his hand.

"Good. Thanks."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer squeezed her hand back.

"Anyway," he said, taking in a deep breath, "...how would you feel about changing your plans and taking a dip in the ocean instead?"

[okteiviakom]

Tiny shrug. "I'm not really dressed for it."

But oh, she should probably try and hold out some sort of an olive branch of her own, here.

"Yet, anyway."