The deck of the Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Sunday evening

[betterthanaplan]

Whelp, another Parents Weekend had gone by, and for once, Duke hadn't had any guests arrive, surprise- or no. And for all that talking to Octavia about the disappointment of that had been meant to help him push past that feeling -- that was how this was supposed to work, right? -- he still found himself staring moodily out at the water by Sunday evening, watching the light of the sunset scatter across the swells and waves.

It was beautiful. Even after all his talk today with Linda about emotions and how little control people actually had over them, he was kind of annoyed at himself that he wasn't more in the mood to appreciate that fact, right now.

[expecting one!]

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[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer smiled, leaning further into him. "I do still love her," he said. "But I had to make a choice, putting it off just... made me more miserable. Now that I have, I'm at peace with it." He took a breath. "With you. And your plaid."

[betterthanaplan]

"Well, everyone has flaws," Duke said. ". . . I still love Audrey and Nathan. But I'd much rather be here, too."

He just wanted to know they were out there somewhere being them.

[my_own_advocate]

"And that's all we need to know," Lucifer murmured. "As Linda keeps reminding me, trying to control other people's feelings is useless."

Not that it had ever stopped Lucifer from trying to shout them into compliance, but, well. Baby steps.

[betterthanaplan]

"And what they feel isn't your fault," Duke agreed.

Not that that stopped him from trying to take the blame.

[my_own_advocate]

"Exactly."

He turned his head and pressed a kiss against Duke's cheek.

"I don't like your friends," Lucifer said, "But you're still allowed to miss them. And I'll do whatever I can to help you feel a bit better, when I can."

[betterthanaplan]

"It's funny," Duke said. "I'm not sure you'd hate her so much if you did meet her." He shook his head. "But it's starting to feel like we'll never know."

[my_own_advocate]

"You don't know that," Lucifer said. His hand slid up and settled on Duke's shoulder. "She may well still be alive."

[betterthanaplan]

"Yeah. And she may have no idea who I am even if we find her again."

[my_own_advocate]

"One step at a time," Lucifer said.

He set his glass down on the bulwark.

"C'mere," he said, reaching for Duke with his other arm to pull him into a full hug.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke took another quick sip of his wine before he set his down next to Lucifer's and turned into the other man.

"You two are making me so huggy," he teased, trying to cover for how much Lucifer's arms around him meant to him.

[my_own_advocate]

"You were always huggy," Lucifer informed him. Hugging him tight. "Most people you used to know were just arseholes."

Like he hadn't only recently become comfortable with hugs, himself.

[betterthanaplan]

"Can't argue with the asshole assessment," Duke said. and fairly melted against Lucifer's chest, burrowing his nose into Lucifer's neck.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer let out a warm, soft huff. Something equally warm - fond, really - blossomed in his chest. He didn't know why, but he liked it.

"Good," he managed uselessly, and smiled, and melted in his own way.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke leaned into him, feeling warm and cozy and . . . and loved.

“How’s it always so much easier with you?”

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer's eyes slid back open in abject confusion. Not that Duke could see it. "Is it?"

[betterthanaplan]

“You’re not all full of land mines,” Duke said. “I mean, yeah, sometimes we’re definitely not on the same page, but I feel like if I don’t move exactly right with Tavi I blow it all up.”

[my_own_advocate]

"She usually just needs space to finish her thoughts," Lucifer murmured. "We're actually playing with that a bit, recently." He shifted until his chin was firmly on Duke's shoulder. "I've been thinking perhaps I should find a way to give you that space, as well..."

He did not have smart empathic ideas often, so when he stumbled onto one that worked, he wanted to make the best of it.

[betterthanaplan]

"You mean . . . other than the engine room, or the wheelhouse, or all the other parts of this boat you don't already frequent?"

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer snorted.

"I mean a space to put forward what you need without my bulldozing through it," he said.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded slowly. "Right. I . . . maybe should have guessed that, yes."

[my_own_advocate]

"You're ridiculous," Lucifer told him, pulling back just far enough to kiss him.

[betterthanaplan]

"That's what you really love," Duke said. "All our ridiculous bits."

[my_own_advocate]

"Hush," said Lucifer, which meant 'yes'.

He cupped Duke's cheek.

"I am full of landmines, allegedly," he said gravely. At least, Linda had more or less told him as much. "You're just preternaturally good at stepping around them."

[betterthanaplan]

"That doesn't sound much like me," Duke said. "But I guess I had to get lucky somewhere."

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, you'll get lucky after the serious conversation," Lucifer informed him, smirking.