The Devil's Nest, Tuesday Night

[my_own_advocate]

"I realize this is a bit you're doing," Lucifer informed Tiny, "But I refuse to entertain it."

Tiny crossed his arms and remained standing in front of his Christmas tree.

"Well, don't come crying to me if Eric eats you," Lucifer sighed, and went back behind the bar to pick-- hm. How about a purple cocktail night? Yes.

Anyone entering the bar would find all purple bottles sitting on the bar. And some police tape around the tree.

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Comments

[okteiviakom]

"I know she was angry at you almost the entire time," Octavia added, an even quieter murmur. "But at least she knew who you were."

[my_own_advocate]

"And she treated you like a stranger," Lucifer said.

He'd bitten down on an instinct to inform her that that was, yes, also fucked up, thank you, or any other such comment.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia knew that, anyway. The 'at least' was pulling a lot of weight in what she'd said.

She just nodded, quietly.

[my_own_advocate]

"I wish you could have had more time with her," Lucifer said. He was running out of words, unsure how to soothe her.

[okteiviakom]

It was fine. Octavia was unsure, too.

She fidgeted with his hand a little. "I know," she muttered. "It -- is what it is."

With multiversal fuckery.

[my_own_advocate]

"But it shouldn't have been."

Lucifer would forever be stuck on that.

[okteiviakom]

It was maybe a little different for a mere mortal. Especially one on a slight depressive kick.

Octavia gave him a vague hum. Lifted her glass for a sip again.

Murmured, "She was there all summer long." Which was a thought that didn't follow from what he'd said, but followed from everything else. (Or maybe preceded everything else.)

[my_own_advocate]

Which was probably why Lucifer looked-- puzzled.

He tilted his head.

"Hm?"

[okteiviakom]

"Nothing," Octavia muttered, probably against some better instincts.

But after a beat, her fingers gave his another squeeze, and she looked up at him again. "Can we go sit somewhere?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Of course," Lucifer said, without a thought. He pulled back, drink in hand, and gestured for the booth he spent much of his time in. "Lead on."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave him the tiniest nod, and picked up her own drink, and turned.

She made her way over to the booth in predictable silence. Sat down.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer settled in there next to her a moment later, making sure to scoot up until his leg pressed against hers. "Are you all right?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia did him one better and pressed herself against his side just about as soon as it was possible.

"I don't know if I have an answer," she told him, quietly.

[my_own_advocate]

"Ah."

Lucifer slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in further.

"We can just sit," he murmured. "If you'd like."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia sighed - in a way that sounded like her letting go of some tension. Or maybe that impression was just the way her shoulders actually relaxed a little in his embrace.

"I think I'd like that," she said. Still quiet, still pensive. But also, "I love you."

It encompassed a lot of appreciation. Not just the obvious, the enduring, but also... in the moment. The we can just sit of it all.

[my_own_advocate]

"I love you too," Lucifer murmured.

He pressed a kiss against her temple. Let himself fall silent.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia fell silent, too.

And just sat there. With her thoughts, but more importantly, with him.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer remained quiet. It wasn't often in his nature to do so, and he had no wandering thoughts to sit with. But she-- well. Sometimes she needed this.

He held her, eventually tugging her even closer, curving her into him with his chin atop her hair.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia pressed closer to him. She abandoned her glass on the table, so that she could slide that arm around him and really anchor herself to him.

It was all she could do to not just pull her feet up and fully curl up onto his lap.

[my_own_advocate]

He wouldn't have stopped her if she'd tried.

Lucifer let out a soft sigh, relaxing further into her, himself. Glad to be in the moment.

[okteiviakom]

"It was a long summer," Octavia said, eventually. Quiet, mild, a little tired. "Think I'm only starting to deal with it now."

[my_own_advocate]

"You have been trying to keep everything - and everyone - together," Lucifer murmured. "Suppose you didn't actually have the, ah, bandwidth to process anything else for some time."

[okteiviakom]

"I guess," Octavia muttered. "And it's taken until now, after a month or so at home, for it to start... trickling through."

She absolutely counted being 'at home' as only having started on her birthday.

Once they'd all been together again.

[my_own_advocate]

"I hope it remains... a manageable trickle," Lucifer said softly. "But if it becomes a flood, please-- do come to me."

[okteiviakom]

"What will you do?" Octavia asked, quietly.

She didn't actually expect him to have a real answer to that. It fell out of her mouth all soft anyway. Maybe curious, too.