The Cape Rouge, Friday Morning

[okteiviakom]

Octavia hadn't been sleeping well. Night after night, she kept waking up every hour and a half or so, just to make sure she could still hear two other people breathing in bed with her. If they were quiet, she would hold her own breath until she was sure she could hear them, or she felt them move, or something.

It wasn't making for very restful nights, but she'd survive. She always did.

Granted, on Friday morning, that survival involved giving up on trying to stay asleep, slipping quietly out of bed and making her way into the galley. She got the coffee going, because she might as well. If actual rest wasn't going to give her energy, then maybe caffeine would at least keep her going.

She'd also made sure to leave the bedroom door open more than enough that if anyone else was awake, or woke up, they would either be able to hear her puttering away, or at the very least be able to smell the coffee sooner rather than later.

She hadn't vanished. She wasn't going to let anyone think she had, either.

(It felt like the least she could do.)

[ooc: For the two.]

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[my_own_advocate]

"Father was supposed to be omniscient," Lucifer said finally, almost surprised by his own voice. "He knew everything."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia turned her face a little more towards him, and made a faint, soft noise.

Half prompt, half question.

[my_own_advocate]

"It was impossible to surprise Him," Lucifer said, staring at the horizon.

[okteiviakom]

Saying this felt like a risk, but:

"That doesn't mean that's going to be you, too," Octavia told him.

[my_own_advocate]

"Doesn't it?" Lucifer said.

He sounded more than a little helpless.

"I... like life's many and varied mysteries, Octavia," he said. "I love surprises."

[okteiviakom]

"I know."

In fact, the first thing that had come to mind when he'd said the previous thing had been how he sounded whenever she managed to surprise him. The little delighted laugh --

Her hand held his a little tighter.

"But he's supposed to be all-powerful, too, right? What sort of power is not being able to choose to block things out?"

[my_own_advocate]

"I don't know," Lucifer admitted.

He let out a loud exhale.

"You think I could?"

[okteiviakom]

"I think if you want it," Octavia replied, "you could make it happen."

She sounded like she believed that, yes.

[my_own_advocate]

"You may have more faith in me than I do in myself," Lucifer admitted.

He took a turn, beginning their trek back towards the city. "I feel like," he added, slowly, "...omniscience may have been a mistake."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave a little hum. At the first part - which wasn't news, and wasn't the first time - and then the other one.

"No single being should know everything. Or have to."

[my_own_advocate]

"How can you understand what it's like to never know for sure, if you always know?" Lucifer said. "How can you possibly wrap your head around life?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's fingers tightened a little around his, again.

"It's an outside perspective," she replied, quietly. Faintly raspy. "Theoretical."

[my_own_advocate]

And Lucifer's fingers tightened in turn.

"I want to stay me," he said, quieter. "I'm afraid I might not."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's chest hurt.

"You've been you for a very long time," she said. Even quieter, too. "Even sometimes when it's got in your own way. This isn't going to be the end of that."

She had no idea.

[my_own_advocate]

"I am not theoretical," Lucifer said. He blinked back some unexpected wetness. "I have never been. I refuse to be."

[okteiviakom]

"And that's why I have faith in you."

And if her voice caught a little, who could blame her?

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer swallowed.

"Help me?" he asked. "Help me stay myself? Whatever happens. Please."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia stopped walking.

And provided he didn't try to keep going, she tugged on his hand to get him to face her.

[my_own_advocate]

He didn't. He stopped almost the moment she did; it betrayed how much he'd been paying attention to her in these past few moments.

Lucifer looked at her, turning to meet her gaze.

[okteiviakom]

The instinct to reach up to touch his face was there and strong. But so was the urge to keep holding his hand like her life depended on it.

So staring up at him with her eyes big and serious it was.

"I will never let you go," she said. "Ever."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer nodded. The motion was a little jerky, and his eyes were getting a touch red.

[okteiviakom]

"We did it for him," Octavia told him. Duke had been... overtaken (it hurt to remember), and they'd fought that, too. "You're no different, niron."

Oh, her voice was hitching again.

It just made her sound more fierce.

"You're mine."

Not for the world to take away.

[my_own_advocate]

His beautiful warrior queen, Lucifer thought, unbidden. She could make the earth itself part with her stubbornness.

"I love you," he whispered.

[okteiviakom]

"Ai hod yu in."

What else was there to say? It almost sounded like a threat.

Just not towards him.

[my_own_advocate]

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Lucifer managed.

He sounded a touch desperate.