The Deck of the Cape Rouge, Thursday Morning

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had been having a lot of thoughts since her visit to Engelsøy the other week. About her past, sure, as always. About the present, likewise.

But the future, too. Her own, that of her loved ones, that of the planet.

A lot of that last thing, actually.

And all of those thoughts were beginning to trend towards action. Like there was a restlessness in her bones, reminding her there was still time, there were resources, there were fights to join and pursuits to engage in.

(Maybe even ways to make amends for everything she'd done wrong in her own time.)

She'd been quietly compiling things in two notebooks. In one, she was trying to collect every last bit of information she could remember about how the first Praimfaya had come about, whether it was something she'd been taught on the Ark, something she'd heard on the Ground, or something she'd read down in the bunker. Anything and everything, no matter how small.

In the other, she was putting all of her research into... well, the jumble things that were running the planet into the ground right now. Who the big players in fighting it were, and what the big things they were doing were.

Probably no surprise that Octavia had been sleeping progressively worse over the last week or so. Just the cost of throwing herself at something that called to her, for the first time in years. Still, right now on Thursday morning, after a too-early breakfast, she was working on something much more practical, easy, and very, very local: the little garden of planter boxes she'd handwavily established on the deck of the Rouge at the beginning of summer.

Putting her hands in some soil was doing a lot to center her.

[ooc: Open, ofc!]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer had about a dozen things he wanted to say, and an equal dozen impulses telling him to be silent.

"You're still beautiful," he settled on, holding Duke close.

[betterthanaplan]

"In that wan, Victorian consumption victim kind of way," Duke said ruefully.

When in doubt, he could always fall back on snark.

[my_own_advocate]

"Don't," Lucifer murmured.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke lifted his head just enough to be able to look at Lucifer's face.

". . . Okay."

He wasn't used to people responding that way to his snark. Even after all this time with people who actually loved him.

[my_own_advocate]

"I meant it," Lucifer said softly, his eyes landing on Duke's.

[betterthanaplan]

"I look like crap," Duke said.

But Lucifer didn't lie. So . . . maybe he was both.

[my_own_advocate]

"You certainly don't look your best," Lucifer agreed.

His mouth curved gently. "But I still think you're beautiful."

[betterthanaplan]

“You’re a little biased,” Duke teased. “But I’ll take it.”

[my_own_advocate]

"I am not biased," Lucifer said. "I'm merely one of only two people in the multiverse whose opinion on the matter should be of any relevance whatsoever."

[betterthanaplan]

“You’re right,” Duke said. “I should work on that. You two . . . you’re the only people who’ve ever really known me.”

[my_own_advocate]

"And in the process, we've decided you're worth hitching our wagons to for the long term," Lucifer said, more serious than that statement really deserved.

Well, with that wording.

[betterthanaplan]

“Minor miracle, with how much I fuck up.”

[my_own_advocate]

A normal person would've reassured Duke he never fucked up.

"Darling, you were fucking up practically from the moment we met you."

Unfortunately, Lucifer was Lucifer.

"I fear it's rather baked into our affection for you at this point."

[betterthanaplan]

The noise Duke made was more laugh than sob, but only barely. “That’s me, perennial lovable fuck up.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Wouldn't go so far as to use it as a noun," Lucifer said. He ran his fingertips lightly over Duke's hair again. "It's not what defines you."

[betterthanaplan]

“Not the only thing.” Duke shifted, sucking in a breath. “Definitely feels like it’s a noun right now.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, it isn't."

Lucifer slid his hand down to lay on top of one of Duke's. His voice had softened, despite the definitiveness of that statement.

[betterthanaplan]

“Okay,” Duke said softly. “I believe you.”

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer slid his thumb around Duke's hand, into his palm, and gave it a squeeze.

"All I meant," he said, after a moment, "Is that you don't have to aspire to be perfect to keep us."

[betterthanaplan]

“I know,” Duke said, squeezing Lucifer’s thumb in return. “. . . Sometimes. Sometimes I know that.”

[my_own_advocate]

"And we love you," Lucifer murmured, "And we just want to make your life easier. Especially now."

[betterthanaplan]

“I’m sorry I don’t know how to let you,” Duke said. “I’m trying though.”

[my_own_advocate]

"I know," Lucifer said, echoing him.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke let out a soft breath, not quite a sigh.

"Good."