The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, early Monday morning

[betterthanaplan]

Most days, Duke was fine. Better than fine, even; he'd been essentially rebooted, after all. Turned off and back on again and all his caches had cleared and -- yeah, he honestly didn't know anywhere near enough about computers to make this metaphor work. He'd been in a dry dock of sorts. All patched up and back in shipshape.

Most days.

He couldn't remember most of the dream when he woke, his heart triphammering in his chest. Just the sense of utter helplessness that had accompanied it, and the sense that the gremlin man -- Croatoan -- was lurking at the edges, smirking in delight. He sat up in bed, trying to force his breathing back under control, and hoped he hadn't woken Lucifer or Octavia.

He really liked being fine. He wanted that feeling back, dammit.

HE slid out of bed, trying not to disturb anyone, and went to go hunt down a coffee.

[for the partners]

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[betterthanaplan]

Duke felt a moment of . . . something, watching Lucifer pull Octavia into his usual spot. He squashed it as best he could and sat on the edge of the bed facing them instead, legs folded under him, coffee cradled in his hands.

“She knows how,” he said. “She just chooses not to.”

[okteiviakom]

But Octavia was reaching for him, now. When there was no longer any confusing the gesture for her somehow trying to reach for the scotch.

It was just the one hand (thanks to the coffee), and casual-looking (by design) but it was there.

"I know how to kneel sometimes," she rasped, with a glance to Lucifer, "if that counts?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, yes," Lucifer said, grabbing onto the topic change with both hands. "Very prettily, if I remember correctly."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke extended his foot towards Octavia, but didn’t shift from his spot at the end of the bed.

“Not surprised. She does most things prettily.”

[okteiviakom]

It felt weird.

But Octavia was going to just rest her hand on his ankle, now. (Firm. It was weirdly firm, her touch, like she was holding on.) "Even that? I don't know."

[my_own_advocate]

"Trust me, darling, there are parts of my anatomy who have very strong feelings on this matter," Lucifer said.

He sipped his whiskey. He considered the logistics of getting them both to pile up on him.

[betterthanaplan]

“Sometimes it’s fun to be a pretty little thing,” Duke mused. He wiggled his toes at Octavia and sipped his coffee.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave a soft snort. "I think that's your thing, jaka."

[my_own_advocate]

"I do believe Octavia's is about something else," Lucifer agreed. He smirked. "Not that I don't enjoy you being a pretty little thing."

[betterthanaplan]

“Yeah.” Duke offered them both a tired smile. “I was just kinda thinking out loud.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia rubbed his ankle. Or, well, her thumb did, anyway.

"I don't think anyone was saying anything except that you're the prettiest pretty thing."

[my_own_advocate]

"I was merely appreciating the smorgasbod of sexy mental images," Lucifer agreed.

[betterthanaplan]

“We are all very good at those,” Duke agreed.

He was doing his best to shake his weird mood, but it was slow going.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave him a lopsided and took a sip, still rubbing his ankle. A slow and steady kind of touch.

(She was still wondering whether she should reach for him again.

Or ask.)

[my_own_advocate]

"Why are we bringing sexy imagery into the conversation and then immediately dropping it again?" Lucifer asked, his shoulders dropping. "Pick a lane, I beg you."

[betterthanaplan]

“It’s a little early,” Duke said. He was looking at Octavia’s hand on his foot. “Sorry about that.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia darted a little glance at Lucifer.

Mouthed, "Sorry," like she felt responsible for something.

[my_own_advocate]

"Why are we all awake?" asked Lucifer.

Who was trying very hard not to think about why he was awake in particular.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke raised his hand with a wince.

“Nightmare.”

It felt so deeply silly to say it out loud.

[okteiviakom]

But it really wasn't.

Octavia ran the backs of her fingers over the bridge of his foot, and shrugged. "I don't sleep much."

Lately.

[my_own_advocate]

"What was the nightmare?" Lucifer inquired.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Don’t remember. Just . . . woke up wrecked.”

[okteiviakom]

"Maybe that's a blessing," Octavia murmured, soft and quiet.

[my_own_advocate]

"Can't be that much of a blessing if you still can't sleep," Lucifer muttered.

[betterthanaplan]

“I needed a minute,” Duke snapped. “Sue me.”

Ah, still raw, yes.

He set his coffee aside, barely drunk, and shoved a hand through his hair with a muttered “sorry”.