Lucifer's Mansion, Saturday Night

[okteiviakom]

Yesterday, there'd been shopping. And today, there was...

Okay, Octavia was still not the most comfortable using words like 'date night'.

But it was probably a date night. She was even wearing a sleek black blouse with her black jeans, in an approximation of something Lucifer might like to see.

There'd also been a nice little meal, just now. And Octavia had even allowed herself a small glass of wine to go with it, the last of which she was making her way through now that they were cuddled up on the couch, still downstairs.

A little moment of rest before dessert, so to speak.

"That was delicious," she told Lucifer, her head tilted against his shoulder. "But it usually is."

[ooc: For that guy I modded, and NSFW-bound.]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

"Why hasn't it gone away?"

It felt like a stupid question as soon as it was out of her mouth, but it was there now, and she wasn't pulling it back.

[my_own_advocate]

"I... suppose you can't erase a part of yourself so easily," Lucifer said. "You can... make something better of it, move past it, but... a little bit of it will always be there."

[okteiviakom]

"Yeah, but I think people expect something different," Octavia murmured, trying to nuzzle at his chest again. "Like you could just carve away a part of you."

A pause.

"Or at least they want you to let them think you've done it."

[my_own_advocate]

"Well," Lucifer said, his fingers running over her hair. "We can't. So I think... it may be better. To turn that into something good."

[okteiviakom]

"Here," Octavia murmured.

Between them, where it was safe.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes," Lucifer said. He drew a little circle against her skin. "We can do this again," he said. "Have dinner, come up here, get undressed... and you can be whatever version of the Red Queen is still in you, until you're done or someone uses the safeword."

[okteiviakom]

"Don't say her name."

It was a small, soft request.

[my_own_advocate]

"I apologize," Lucifer said softly. "Whatever part of yourself you have to pretend you're not, then."

[okteiviakom]

"Thank you," Octavia murmured.

The difference was subtle, but it was there. Felt important, to keep just that much of a line between this and the Blodreina of it all.

She sighed, then breathed him in. "The rest sounds good, though."

[my_own_advocate]

"I thought so," Lucifer said, his fingers sliding along her back. "And anything would go, darling. Even if all you find yourself wanting to do is cuddle."

[okteiviakom]

"Good," Octavia told him. Her hand had found its way to his side, drawing abstract shapes there. "Sometimes I want to."

[my_own_advocate]

"I know," Lucifer murmured. "Can't force a mood, as we've found."

[okteiviakom]

"No," Octavia murmured. "But we can meander from one mood to another."

She liked that.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes," Lucifer said, his mouth tugging into a small smile. "I like it."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia finally pulled back enough to see his face again. But only by that much.

"I love you," she murmured. "And I love being here with you. And that you've always held a space for me."

[my_own_advocate]

"I love that you're willing to take that space," Lucifer said.

That smile went nowhere.

[okteiviakom]

"How could I not?"

Bet you'd thought Octavia's voice couldn't go softer than it had already been. But no, there it was.

"When it's one of the things that feel like home."

[my_own_advocate]

Well. Now it was Lucifer's turn to deal with wet eyes, he supposed.

"I can do that for you?"

[okteiviakom]

"Yes," Octavia said, like it should have been self-evident. Like it should have been obvious.

Because it was, to her.

"Ever since you came back from Hell," she murmured. "And you said you'd come back here with me. It was the first time since --" Nope, still couldn't say it. "-- everything with Duke back then, that I felt at all like anything could be okay again."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer blew out a shaking breath and cupped the back of her head. He shut his eyes. "You made that day bearable."

[okteiviakom]

"Yeah, likewise," Octavia whispered. Oh good, her eyes were welling up again. "You said it back then yourself: we're family."

Though she wouldn't use the word he'd actually said, then.

[my_own_advocate]

"It feels nothing short of miraculous," Lucifer admitted quietly. "The way you and Duke make me feel as if I belong here."

And the thought of giving it up continued to fill him with terror.

[okteiviakom]

"Because you do," Octavia told him, her hand coming up to cup his cheek. "Belong here, with us."

It made everything about the situation back in his home world terrifying, yes. Or would have, if Octavia hadn't been repressing it so hard.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer's fingers trailed up her arm, settling over her wrist. "Because we're an 'us'."

[okteiviakom]

"Yeah," Octavia sighed. "We are."