The Cape Rouge, Tuesday afternoon

[betterthanaplan]

Duke was having one of those days. The ones where he was still in bed well after his partners had gotten up to start their days. The ones where he would quite possibly still be there when they came back to bed in the evening.

Some days he'd push himself, even when he was in this mood, and manage to crawl out of bed at least long enough to rub his brush over his teeth in the bathroom and shove a spoonful of peanut butter into him, without either Lucifer or Octavia having to push him through it.

He wasn't sure yet if this would be that sort of this sort of day, yet.

The singing, though. That part was new.

"What's the blues, when you've got the greys?
I think I've given up, my body's given in,
In a building, i lie still, and then i turn back over again
In a building that has heating
And sweat sweat sweat sweat dried-on stains."

He managed to sit up, though his body felt like it weighed approximately three tons. (Like it might capsize his boat if he moved around too much. And wouldn't that maybe be nice?)

"I'm sick of feeling sick and not throwing up
And you sit in my stomach and you seem to be stuck
And it won't work its way through my guts and just go away
I woke up this afternoon thought maybe today
That the world might be a more colorful place
But there's no luck, it's still just grey."

He slumped at the end of the bed, staring at the door to the rest of the boat.

"Come back here."

[for anyone with a reason to show up, sure!]

Comments

[betterthanaplan]

Duke couldn't help the faintly helpless giggle that came from his mouth when Lucifer started. But he swallowed it down after a moment and, well. Leaned into him.

He could explain why "Lean On Me" was hilarious in a minute. When Lucifer was done singing. Because Duke had zero doubts that it was entirely heartfelt right now.

[my_own_advocate]

Heartfelt, and deliberately chosen, to boot. Though whatever it was that Duke found so funny about it was lost on Lucifer, who made his way through the song with a smooth sort of earnestness.

At least it was a solid four minutes Duke wouldn't be singing in?

But those four minutes did, eventually, end.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke buried a smile in Lucifer's shoulder.

"I love you," he said. "So much. That song was such a cliche when I was a kid."

[my_own_advocate]

"Only because it's very good," Lucifer informed him primly.

[betterthanaplan]

"Little hard to get past the plinky piano version I heard every time a ten year old was anywhere near a piano through my entire life."

[my_own_advocate]

"That just means I'm going to have to play it for you correctly next time you make it to the club," Lucifer sighed, reaching up to card his hand through Duke's hair.

[betterthanaplan]

"Well. No argument here," Duke said. He kissed Lucifer's shoulder. "I like hearing you play. And sing."

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, you are welcome any time," Lucifer murmured. "Whenever your brain chemistry allows."

[betterthanaplan]

"That damned brain chemistry," Duke said. "Giving me 'the greys'."

Duke, Luce wasn't here for that song. Don't encourage the island to force a reprise.

[my_own_advocate]

"On that note, let me know if you need me to sing more heartwarming, earnest songs from either the Great or the New American Songbook," Lucifer said. "I'm not sure I can fill an entire day, but I can certainly make an effort..."

[betterthanaplan]

"If you hear a music cue, feel free to drown it out," Duke said. "All I sing about is depressing shit. Tavi and I even managed to have a moment of a nice duet and then I hit a verse about burning the world down. . . ."

[my_own_advocate]

"Perhaps you should spend less time worrying about doing that again, and it'll happen less?" Lucifer offered.