The Cape Rouge, very early Wednesday morning

[betterthanaplan]

Duke Crocker lay on the bed of the Cape Rouge, bandaged and bruised. He had just returned from a trip to Haven, where he had gone to help Audrey and Nathan with a new trouble. He had been attacked by a man who could control electricity, and had barely escaped with his life.

He felt a hand on his forehead and opened his eyes. He saw Octavia Blake sitting next to him, looking worried.

“Hey,” he said weakly. “How long have I been out?”

Octavia smiled and stroked his hair. “Not too long. Just a few hours. How do you feel?”

Duke groaned and tried to sit up. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and winced.

“Like I’ve been electrocuted,” he said.

Octavia gently pushed him back down. “Don’t move. You need to rest. You lost a lot of blood.”

Duke sighed and closed his eyes. He felt guilty and ashamed.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry I put you through this. I’m sorry I went to Haven without telling you.”

Octavia shook her head and kissed his cheek. “Don’t be sorry. I understand why you did it. You wanted to help your friends. You wanted to do the right thing.”

She paused and looked at him seriously.

“But you have to understand something too, Duke. You’re not alone anymore. You have us. Me and Lucifer. We’re your family now. And we care about you more than anything.”

She took his hand and squeezed it.

“We don’t want to lose you, Duke. We don’t want you to risk your life for troubles that are not yours to deal with.”

She leaned down and whispered in his ear.

“We love you, Duke. And we need you.”

Duke felt tears in his eyes and hugged her tightly.

“I love you too, Octavia,” he said softly. “I love you too.”

They heard the door open and looked up to see Lucifer standing there. He was holding a tray with soup and bread.

“Hello, my darlings,” he said cheerfully. “I brought you some food. How are we feeling?”

He walked over to the bed and set the tray on the nightstand. He looked at Duke with concern and compassion.

“You look terrible, Duke,” he said bluntly. “But I’m glad you’re alive.”

He kissed Duke on the forehead, then Octavia on the lips.

He sat on the other side of the bed and took Duke’s other hand.

“I agree with everything Octavia said,” he said earnestly. “You’re very brave and noble, Duke, but also very foolish and reckless.”

He smiled slightly and added.

“And that’s part of why we love you.”

He looked at Duke sincerely and said.

“But you have to promise us something, Duke. Promise us that you won’t go back to Haven without us. Promise us that you won’t put yourself in danger without our consent.”

He paused and said softly.

“Promise us that you’ll stay with us.”

Duke looked at Lucifer and Octavia, who were both staring at him with love and hope in their eyes.

He felt a surge of emotion in his heart and nodded.

“I promise,” he said hoarsely.

He pulled them both closer to him and kissed them one by one.

“I promise,” he repeated.

They hugged him back and cuddled with him on the bed.

They felt relieved and happy, knowing that they had each other’s support and trust. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

Something . . . juddered. Shifted. Duke blinked.

"Why aren't you mad?" he asked.

Lucifer and Octavia looked at him. "We love you," they said simultaneously.

Duke shook his head and tried to push himself upright. Lucifer held him down idly with one hand. "No. No, this isn't -- who are you?"

Octavia tilted her head curiously. "It's me, Duke," she said. "Octavia Blake." She smiled. "Your girlfriend."

Duke jerked awake with a choked gasp, fighting to sit up against the weight of his partners' entangled limbs, dream-Octavia's words still echoing in his ears.

Who knew the word 'girlfriend' could be so terrifying?

[Len asked an AI to write a h/c fic of our OT3 and naturally I needed to turn the result into a nightmare for my boy. Thanks Bing! For the partners please, :D]

Comments

[betterthanaplan]

“Linda’s probably pushed, huh,” Duke muttered, still not entirely capable of just. Committing to saying he should call her.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia said nothing to that.

Just rubbed slow circles against his back.

[my_own_advocate]

"She's a professional," Lucifer said softly.

Hugged him a little tighter.

[betterthanaplan]

“Doesn’t mean she can’t be mad. Or like. Disappointed.”

And — ah. Shit. That was totally part of why it was so hard to call her, wasn’t it. Fuck.

[okteiviakom]

"Kind of does, actually," Octavia murmured.

And wondered, once again (and silently), whether going with Linda had been the best idea in the first place.

[my_own_advocate]

"It does," Lucifer agreed. "Frankly, you've done nothing worse than I've ever done to her, and she still sees me without complaint."

[betterthanaplan]

(It probably wasn’t. He needed someone he felt more neutral about. He liked Linda too much.

(Also someone he wasn’t worried would get replaced by a skin stealing serial killer though, so that was . . . difficult.)

“She’s your person, though,” Duke pointed out. “I don’t know. Maybe I need, like. My own.”

[okteiviakom]

"Like I have," Octavia muttered. "It's worked out for me."

Claire had been good for her for as long as it had lasted. But Dr. Baker was just... wholly removed from anything else, a whole universe away.

No man's land.

[my_own_advocate]

"Whichever person you want, darling," Lucifer said softly. "I promise I won't be hurt if you decide to go shopping for a different therapist, and neither will she."

[betterthanaplan]

. . . Well, now there was an intimidating idea all on its own.

“How the fuck do you shop for a therapist?”

[okteiviakom]

"In my experience?"

Octavia wanted to inject something wry and warm into her tone, but guess she was too tired for that.

"Lucifer somehow makes a list, then takes you to see a bunch of people."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer shrugged. "Linda was the easiest option for you because we know she's already in the know," he said, "But I have found a number of multiversal therapists since then who specialize in, ah, special cases."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke shit his eyes again. He could do this. He had to, because he didn’t want to lose them.

“Okay. Let’s . . . look for someone. Someone new. Un, uh. Unconnected.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia squeezed him just a little tighter in response.

"Mochof, snogon."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer nodded. "If that's what you truly want," he murmured. "I'll make a list. And I'll come with you, if you wish."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke had no idea. That would make it harder to change his mind at the last minute, which he was pretty sure was supposed to be a good thing, but. . . .

“Maybe. We’ll, uh. We’ll see see when the time comes?”

[okteiviakom]

"We'll be there for you whatever you decide," Octavia murmured.

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes," Lucifer said. He pressed a kiss against Duke's cheek. "I love you," he said softly. "That won't change whatever you do next."

[betterthanaplan]

Lucifer didn’t lie.

(But he could still be wrong.)

“Thanks,” Duke said softly. “Cause, uh. I’m going to be an absolute wreck. You guys know that, right?”

It was a rather pathetic attempt at levity. Mostly because it was at least 40% an honest question.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's knuckles rubbed up and down next to his spine.

"I've done it," she murmured. "I'm still doing it. I still hate it, half the time." Because it was hard work. Because it worked. "I get it."

[my_own_advocate]

"What she also means is we're aware," Lucifer added.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke was pretty sure if he moved he’d start shaking. (He was already shaking.)

“And — if it doesn’t work? If I’m just. Stuck like this?”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia couldn't hold him any tighter. She just really wished she could have.

"You won't be." And she really did believe that. "But even if you were, we'd just keep trying."

[my_own_advocate]

"I can sleep on the metaphorical sofa for the next fifty years if I have to, darling," Lucifer added gently. "Life with any version of you is infinitely preferable to a life without."

[betterthanaplan]

“I . . . really hope that’s true.” Duke sighed. “Not that I think you’re lying. Just. Fifty’s a long time.”