betterthanaplan | Aboard the OceaNyx, off the coast of Fandom, Monday afternoon

The trouble -- ha -- with the troubles inside Duke was that the pressure from them was constantly building, even if it didn't constantly register as pain. So what was painful but tolerable last week was now absolutely debilitating.

Fortunately, they had a plan. Well. Of sorts. When Duke got out of bed that morning and promptly passed out, it was decided that enough was enough. He was loaded onto the OceaNyx and he, Octavia, and Lucifer headed out to sea to minimize any possible bystanders getting hit with whatever came out when Duke vented a trouble.

Hopefully, all he would have to do was bleed on Lucifer and he could get some relief without magical hijinks! But let's be real. When had anything in Duke's life gone that smoothly?

[For thems as is in the narrative, please!]

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From:

okteiviakom

Octavia's aforementioned scowl was slow to shift towards something closer to her more neutral expressions, but shift it did.

"I can't promise enjoying or smoking."

On her own part.

The rest of the plan, she could probably get behind.

From:

my_own_advocate

"Fair enough," Lucifer said, with an incline of his head. "But you'll sit with us?"

Edited Date: 2024-07-03 03:45 am (UTC)

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia exhaled something like a sigh.

(Something more working its way out of her body.)

"Yeah."

From:

my_own_advocate

"Thank you," Lucifer said.

He held out a hand for her.

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia took it.

Gave it a little squeeze, too, after a second or two of hesitation.

From:

my_own_advocate

He squeezed back.

"I've got you, niron," Lucifer murmured. "And we've got him."

From:

okteiviakom

This time, what Octavia exhaled was unquestionably a sigh.

"Yeah, I hope so," she muttered.

From:

my_own_advocate

"That's the spirit," Lucifer said, gentle, only half-teasing.

Then he tugged her back towards the deck.

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia found herself not moving. Didn't let go of his hand, though. In fact, she gave it a yank back. "Wait, look, can I just --"

Oh.

Oh, she was trying to yank him back for a hug. No wonder her voice sounded so wobbly all of a sudden.

Guess she'd learned some good impulses along the way, too.

From:

my_own_advocate

"Oh," Lucifer said.

But then his arms closed tightly around her, without hesitation. "Of course, love."

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia shuiddered into it, winding her own arms tightly around his waist and pressing close against his chest.

Swallowing something down.

(Fear.)

From:

my_own_advocate

"I'm here," Lucifer murmured. His hand settled on the back of her hair. "I'm here with you."

From:

okteiviakom

"Good," Octavia murmured, her voice finally a little softer again. "Because I think the last thing any of us want right now... is to feel alone."

That 'any' was carrying a lot of weight.

Edited Date: 2024-07-03 09:08 am (UTC)

From:

my_own_advocate

"Agreed," Lucifer said.

He pressed a firm kiss against her forehead.

From:

okteiviakom

Octavia exhaled another shuddering little something. She gave him another squeeze with her arms, then began to pull away.

They shouldn't leave Duke on his own for longer than necessary, weed or not.

From:

my_own_advocate

Lucifer nodded. He snagged her hand again as she pulled back, and gave it a firm squeeze. "Always," he murmured.

And then he turned back towards the deck, and went up.

From:

okteiviakom

And this time, Octavia followed.

She didn't feel calm, but she felt more settled than she had, and that was not nothing.

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke had taken a couple hits off the joint while waiting for them, and was less slouched in his bench seat now as lounging there.

What a difference a bit of venting made.

"All good?" he asked when they came back up on deck.

From:

my_own_advocate

"I believe so," Lucifer said, "Though I'll have to reclaim my wine later."

He held his hand out for the joint as he approached Duke.

From:

okteiviakom

Once again, Octavia said nothing.

But she broke off from Lucifer so that she could move to sit on one side of Duke, almost immediately going to curl up against his side a little bit.

From:

betterthanaplan

Duke handed off the joint, then wrapped his arm around her and gave her a kiss.

"Thank you for looking out for us," he said softly.

From:

my_own_advocate

Lucifer sank down on the other side of Duke and took a nice, long toke.

He'd bring the house idea up in a moment. Preferably after all the emotions.

From:

okteiviakom

Probably the smartest strategy, considering the first thing Octavia said, now, was a murmured, "Sorry. Moba."

And she nuzzled at Duke's cheek.

From:

betterthanaplan

"You're on edge," Duke said. "It makes sense. I mean, there's a reason that story from Dad's journal stuck out to me. For once . . . we already did the work to fix this one." He looked at Lucifer. "All of us."

It was long enough since the first hit off the joint that he was starting to feel it buzz at the back of his brain. It'd bleed into his muscles soon enough, leaving him loose and giddy.

From:

my_own_advocate

Or maybe this was the time after all?

"That being said," Lucifer said, and took another drag, before holding the joint out again. "Any objections about taking this to the mansion tonight? Purely to get us out of water's way for a day, to settle our nerves."