betterthanaplan | The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Sunday evening

Duke wasn't usually one to put much stock into holidays like Valentine's Day. Last year's had very nearly been a disaster, for instance. But Octavia was clearly feeling a little extra in-the-dumps right now, and Lucifer had sent him an enormous, gorgeous, queer bouquet, and Duke felt inspired.

He spent the day setting it up. Went through his hold and pulled out all the plushest, richest fabrics he could find. Fuzzy blankets and brocade curtains and lots of soft Persian rugs. He draped his galley, transforming the usually cool, open space full of hard surfaces into something warm and exotic, like the interior of a Mongolian yurt. He lit the space with candles and oil lamps and paper lanterns, and set Lucifer's bouquet prominently on the coffee table. To eat, he had berries and chocolate and oysters rockefeller, with wine and absinthe and some other items to help them all relax and feel good. There were soft cushions everywhere (including the stuffed shark and sun and moon pillows from last year's pillow forts, with the inclusion of a little velvet star-shaped cushion he'd picked up on a whim), and even a few vintage furs.

It was, he felt, about as cozy and warm and romantic (and hopefully not too fish scented) as his boat was going to get. Now all he needed were his partners.

He sent Lucifer a text (come over, bring octavia), figuring Octavia wouldn't rouse easily on her own, then settled in to wait, and second guess every single choice he'd made in decorating, worrying it would come across as too much.

He distracted himself with his guitar to keep from trying to tear it all down again, and waited.

[for the guests!]

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From:

okteiviakom

"It's a good sofa," Octavia muttered.

Just to say something.

From:

my_own_advocate

"This is some kind of metaphor, isn't it," Lucifer mused.

From:

betterthanaplan

“The sofa?” Duke asked. “I mean, it’s kind of more of a padded bench. But, uh, I guess the place is? I mean, it is a place but it’s, uh. Abstract.”

From:

okteiviakom

"He means us."

Octavia's voice was all soft rasp, really. And quiet.

"This... sandwich."

From:

my_own_advocate

"Oh," Lucifer said. "That does make more sense."

He... may have started nuzzling that distracting stubble on Duke's cheek now, yes.

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke laughed, even as he tilted his head to give him more access. “Starting to feel it yourself now, huh?”

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia reached out for some berries.

Well, her hand did hover near the oysters for a second, there. But no, berries it was.

From:

my_own_advocate

"Somewhat," Lucifer sighed. "I like the scruff."

More than somewhat.

From:

betterthanaplan

“Like your scruff too,” Duke said. “Facial hair is fun.”

This conversation was just fascinating, wasn’t it.

From:

okteiviakom

From the perspective of the one not-high (yet) person in the room?

Sure.

Octavia settled back down against Duke, quietly eating her berries. Just... listening. Waiting, maybe.

From:

my_own_advocate

"See, he likes me," Lucifer said, very seriously. "Had to have a whole conversation about that after the key and the luggage. I hate conversations. They rarely end well, but this one did."

From:

betterthanaplan

"Of course I like you, dumbass," Duke said fondly. He looped his arm around Octavia's waist, rubbing his hand slowly in circles against her belly. "Isn't therapy like . . . all conversations all the time?"

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia hummed a little noise of confirmation to that question. It doubled as approval for the rubbing.

She closed her eyes, tried to relax into it further. The weight of Duke's arm, the weight of Lucifer's hand at her shoulder. Their voices, so comfortingly familiar in her ears.

From:

my_own_advocate

"Different kind of conversation," Lucifer argued. "Linda's not... gonna try to murder me, or-- throw me out of the house."

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke frowned. ". . . You thought I'd do that? Either of that? I worry about that."

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia sighed, quietly. "No one here's gonna murder either of you."

Just in case they didn't know that.

(Throw someone out of a house, well...)

From:

my_own_advocate

"Not exactly that. Probably," Lucifer said, stretching - slowly, very slowly - to grab an oyster. "But weird things happen when you have conversations. One minute you're on top of the world, the next everyone you've ever known and loved wants to see you burn."

Beat.

"These oysters are delicious."

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke twisted a little so he could stare at him. "Nonononono. I mean, yes, the oysters are awesome. But I'm not gonna -- I wouldn't --"

He had kicked Octavia out, though, hadn't he.

From:

okteiviakom

Indeed he had.

Octavia was letting them hash this one out amongst themselves, only making a small noise at how Duke's twisting jostled her lean.

-- the next everyone you've ever known and loved wants to see you burn.

That, too.

From:

my_own_advocate

"It's fine, it's fine," Lucifer said, moving his hand down to pat Duke's leg, realizing just in time he still had an oyster in it, and lifting the oyster back up to eat it before he put the shell down.

"We had the conversation and nothing terrible happened, that's the point."

From:

betterthanaplan

"Okay." Duke settled back in, rubbing circles on Octavia again. "Good. Kinda want to go beat up the people who do that, though. You know, eventually."

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia...

Really just wanted the molly to kick in already. If it was even going to, with how much of a shroud there was hanging in front of everything.

She kept her eyes closed. Remembered about the berries still in her hand, and ate those.

From:

my_own_advocate

Lucifer did pat Duke's knee this time.

"Please don't," he said, "You'll get horribly murdered."

He kissed Duke.

He was too distractable to notice Octavia's sagging over there.

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke noticed she was quiet, but she was regularly quiet. And he didn't want to upset her by drawing attention to the quiet right now.

"Why does everything want to horribly murder me?" he asked idly. "Seems unfair."