The Deck of the Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Friday Afternoon

[okteiviakom]

Octavia knew there was a Parents Weekend thing happening in town right now. She was still undecided on whether she wanted to put in an appearance, because on one hand, last year's had led to some bad times for her. On the other... There was some small part of her that hoped, no matter how foolishly, that maybe Gloria would somehow show up.

(There was just so much she wanted to tell her. And so much fear that she would never get to.)

So far, for her trek through town after her usual Friday routine of therapy and swimming out in New York, she had steered clear of the park. She had a big bag from a shoe store to get home, anyway. See, there'd been some talk of those early days on the Ground in her session today, and then she'd taken a slightly different route from her usual in getting to the portal place, and she'd seen the boots in a store window, and, well. She'd never been able to resist a good symbol. Especially one as personal as this, appearing at just the right time for it to feel a little like something else than just pure coincidence.

(Even with how mired in complications that thought was for her, these days. For reasons she had still not discussed with Dr. Baker at all.)

And even as she stepped aboard the Rouge, she was still wondering whether she should've just taken her purchase on the Samsara instead, and buried them in her closet. The urge to share and the urge to keep it to herself felt equal.

Maybe she'd shove them in a closet here, instead.

[ooc: Open, though slow.]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

"It's not even close to morning," Octavia rasped in greeting. And in slight ignoring of his question.

Her level of sudden self-consciousness could probably be measure by how hard she felt like moving the bag behind herself. She didn't, obviously, but she would've liked to.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer peered up at the sky, squinting.

"...Afternoon," he allowed. "Still."

[okteiviakom]

"Sleep well?"

Stellar job deflecting, Tavi.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer frowned. "Are you trying to distract me?"

You knew you weren't being subtle when Lucifer saw through something.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia rolled her eyes. "If I was trying to do that --" She had been. "-- I would have done with properly."

Probably with something to do with removing clothing.

She glanced down at the bag and lost most of her drawl-y attitude, though. Shrugged. "I just bought something for myself. It's not a big deal."

[my_own_advocate]

"And you... don't want to tell me what it is?" Lucifer guessed.

[okteiviakom]

"... I don't know," Octavia admitted, after a long pause.

It was a weird thing.

[my_own_advocate]

"Right," Lucifer said slowly. "... Should I guess?"

[okteiviakom]

There was another long pause.

"Maybe?"

Nothing teasing about that. Just more indecision.

[my_own_advocate]

"Because that looks like a shoe bag," Lucifer said slowly.

[okteiviakom]

"It is," Octavia admitted. Then, just a touch more wryly, added, "Which I guess I should've known you'd know."

[my_own_advocate]

"And since I'm aware you have all the shoes you inexplicably feel you need," Lucifer said, "I have to conclude they have to be something special."

[okteiviakom]

"I do have all the shoes I need."

Just getting that out there.

While glancing at the bag again, like it called to her.

[my_own_advocate]

"Do you want to show me?" Lucifer asked gently. "Because I can leave it be if you wish."

[okteiviakom]

It was probably the gentle that did it.

Octavia breathed in through her nose. Then she held the bag out for him. He could look inside, himself.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer took the bag and opened it.

"Oh," he said.

And, "This would go rather well with your butterfly dress."

[okteiviakom]

"Don't know about that," Octavia murmured. "But it... felt like something, when I saw them in the window."

[my_own_advocate]

"I can't think of a better reason to buy some beautiful stompy boots," Lucifer said, lifting one out of the bag.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's gaze trailed over the the butterflies along the front, and her voice went very quiet.

"They look like the butterflies I saw on the Ground."

Not exactly, of course. But close enough that -- well. Close enough that she felt something.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer looked at them again, frowning. "The color?" he said. "Or the shape?"

[okteiviakom]

"Both," Octavia murmured, reaching out to trace the edge of one with a gentle fingertip. "They were more blue than this, and bigger, but..."

[my_own_advocate]

"Close enough?" Lucifer guessed.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's gaze flicked up to his face, and the wry was back in her expression, though muted.

"After I just mentioned them to Dr. Baker this morning? Yeah."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer slid the boot back into the bag.

"I look forward to seeing you in them," he said. "Octavia, Butterfly Queen."

[okteiviakom]

"Maybe some day," Octavia murmured, reaching out for the bag again.

Which part was she referring to? Either one.