Lucifer's Mansion, Sunday Night

[okteiviakom]

It had been another weird week. But enough of the weird - both from this week, and the ones before it - had apparently passed for Octavia and Lucifer to meet up at the house again on this Sunday evening for another date night.

The previously unfurnished room on the second floor was no longer unfurnished. Octavia didn't know whether Lucifer had noticed yet, especially since she'd left the door closed after she'd been done with it. She didn't know whether it would come into play yet, anyway.

And either way, they were downstairs, sitting down properly at the dining table. A gesture towards things Lucifer liked. And Octavia had cooked, even if the main had been just a very simple salad, which they were just about finished with. The equally simple dessert was still waiting in the fridge.

"Maybe one of these weeks you could give me a lesson." A beat. "You know, for cooking. We could make a thing of it."

[ooc: For, you guessed it, that guy.]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

Ah, well: at least that meant Lucifer could take the opportunity to take her hand, and give it a pleased squeeze. "You did well, love."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's hand gave his a squeeze back. And her voice just went even softer.

"Good," she said. "I really wanted to."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer knew. He'd learned about this side of her, over the years.

It had taken him a long time to learn how to treat it with the care it deserved.

"I appreciate that," he said softly.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded. And brought his hand up to her lips so she could press a gentle kiss against his knuckles.

Then she let go, so she could finally make her way back to her own seat.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer smiled, and turned back to his dessert. Something worthy of praise was also worthy of eating, of course, and so he took to that with gusto.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia finally dug into her own bowl. She'd tasted the combination before, of course, and it had worked for her, but...

Well, there was something to be said for how it tasted now that she had his approval, too.

[my_own_advocate]

It felt good. Getting this right, this time. Remembering to see this as her work, with everything that that meant, rather than just another dish presented to him.

Remembering to see the world a little bit more through her eyes.

Lucifer was smiling to himself as he finished his bowl. It reached all the way up to his eyes.

[okteiviakom]

It felt good to have her work acknowledged and appreciated, too. For what it was: an attempt that wasn't going to be perfect but still had value. And heart.

And Octavia, behind it.

It did not go unnoticed that he was smiling, even if Octavia seemed to be a little shy about her glances up at his face while she was working through her own bowl.

[my_own_advocate]

"Thank you," Lucifer said, as he set his - demonstrably empty - bowl aside. "For making dinner."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded. Scraping some of the last onto her spoon.

"It was good."

Eating, yes, but -- giving it to him, too.

[my_own_advocate]

"Beginning to get a taste for cooking?" Lucifer asked.

[okteiviakom]

"When there's a point."

Or a goal.

[my_own_advocate]

"And I'm a point," Lucifer said softly.

Not teasing.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded. No teasing there, either.

"One of the most important ones."

[my_own_advocate]

"A humbling thing to say," Lucifer said softly.

[okteiviakom]

"And yet it's the truth."

[my_own_advocate]

"Thank you," Lucifer said. He picked up his wine glass. "And... I'm sorry, for all the times I may not have appreciated it as much as I should have."

[okteiviakom]

Something in Octavia's expression turned a little more wry.

"We're all trying to learn."

[my_own_advocate]

"Some of us take longer than others," Lucifer said, just as wry.

[okteiviakom]

"Well, some of us are forgiven for that."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer let out a soft little huff.

"Ai hod yu in."

[okteiviakom]

And finally, Octavia smiled a little bit again.

"Ai hod yu in seintaim, skaifaya."

[my_own_advocate]

"Shall I clean up?" Lucifer asked, smile still gentle.

[okteiviakom]

And another tiny nod.

"Please do."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer nodded, and rose, collecting their bowls and glasses and other items. Something felt... warm, and gentle, and cosy and-- fragile about this moment.

He didn't want to ruin it by talking too much, so he focused on the dishes.