The beach, Monday afternoon

[betterthanaplan]

It took Duke an embarrassingly long time to realize why the town seemed so quiet today. In his defense, it'd been a long time since he'd last taught a class and thus paid attention to things like the school vacations.

He wasn't complaining. The quiet suited him right now. It helped him keep what was so far a good day for him going. Which was why he was currently sprawled back on his hands on the sand to watch the waves rather than standing pensively.

He didn't even mind that the bottle at his side was full of birch beer and not something alcoholic. Progress!

[expecting one, but can be open should anyone else be on the island and looking for a nice low-key post!]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"I heard a beach bum was sprawling outside somewhere without a proper lunch."

Did Lucifer have a decent idea of where his boyfriend was likely to spend his time? Yes. Had he packed a classic picnic basket full of sandwiches and the like just to surprise him with? Also yes.

And thus he set his fancy Louboutins down on the sand, basket in hand.

[betterthanaplan]

"Have the squirrels started informing on me?" Duke asked, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked up at Lucifer with a small smile. "Lunch sounds great, babe, thank you."

He even meant that! He had something resembling a normal appetite today, miracle of miracles.

[my_own_advocate]

"Good," Lucifer said, and couldn't quite hide his relief. He walked to Duke, producing a picnic blanket from the basket.

He spread it out with entirely too many dramatics, folding it out in the air with a flick before letting it descend to the sand. "How's the sprawling coming along?"

[betterthanaplan]

"Expansively," Duke said, after a moment to think of a good word. "You brought a blanket and everything!" He chuckled. "That's my Lucifer, never does anything part-way."

[my_own_advocate]

"It's hardly a picnic without the blanket, is it?" Lucifer said, setting down the basket before he joined Duke on the ground.

[betterthanaplan]

"I guess not," Duke agreed. He leaned in to bump his shoulder against Lucifer's. "How's it going today?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, it's quiet here, so I spent most of it on the phone with the mainland club and dealing with some irritating logistics issues," Lucifer sighed. "I was rather glad to have the excuse to come here."

He opened the basket to reveal a selection of fruits, cheeses, and four sandwiches.

[betterthanaplan]

"Ew," Duke said. "Work stuff." He peered into the basket and plucked out a piece of fruit to pop in his mouth. "I hate logistics."

[my_own_advocate]

"It is the most annoying part of owning a club by far," Lucifer said, reaching for some of the cheese.

[betterthanaplan]

"We should train computers to automate that stuff. Not, like, art and things."

[my_own_advocate]

"Agreed," Lucifer said gravely, taking a bite. "I've seen some of that AI... 'art'. It's a crime onto culture."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke shuddered dramatically. "You said it. That's not the robot future we were promised when I was a kid."

[my_own_advocate]

"I'd much prefer it if we stuck to robot vacuum cleaners," Lucifer said. "At least they're useful."

[betterthanaplan]

"And mildly entertaining, if you put googly eyes on them."

Or a knife, but Duke found that less amusing since he developed a . . . let's call it a "blood allergy". Not that he had that anymore and you know what he was doing pretty well today so he was just going to stop that train of thought right there.

"Should I get a Roomba for the Rouge?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Couldn't hurt," Lucifer mused. "At the very least, they're fun to put to use as a waiter from time to time..."

[betterthanaplan]

"I bet the porgs would get a kick out of it, too," Duke agreed. He pulled out his phone. "I'll order one now."

Because nothing beat serious depression better than retail therapy, right?

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer certainly believed this was true. He nodded, reaching for a sandwich. "You could drive Polly Lobster around deck."

[betterthanaplan]

"Well, he could ride it around the deck, anyway. Roombas just bounce around at random, don't they? Or should I get one with remote control steering?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, absolutely," Lucifer said. "At least if we want to use it for funny shenanigans." He took a bite, still nodding.

[betterthanaplan]

"Which is clearly our ultimate goal," Duke said with a chuckle. He started a search for a remote control robot vacuum. "Tavi is going to be baffled."

[my_own_advocate]

"She'll get into it," Lucifer said sagely. "She usually does."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded. "Especially if Polly ends up riding it. She's a sucker for that little guy."

[my_own_advocate]

"She's a sucker for most animals, to be fair," Lucifer said fondly. He looked at Duke with a small smile. "How have you been feeling?"

[betterthanaplan]

Duke let out a faintly exasperated huff.

"It's a good day," he said after a long moment. "Better than I've had in a while." He was laughing and sprawling and ordering remote control robot vacuums specifically so they could be ridden around by small beakless birds! "Little afraid if I look too closely at that fact it'll fall apart."

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, we don't have to look too closely," Lucifer said, giving his shoulder a nudge with his own. "We can celebrate that you're having a good day. With more cheese."