betterthanaplan: (snuggly hat)
Duke Crocker ([personal profile] betterthanaplan) wrote2025-04-14 11:35 am

The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, early Monday morning

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]
okteiviakom: ([neu] big breath)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-17 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Octavia sipped her coffee some more.

And resumed rubbing Duke's ankle, although the the touch was a little more faint now.
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - fondness is in the eyes)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-17 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"Possibly?" Lucifer offered, frowning like that was a serious question. "I wouldn't know. I've never resurrected anyone before."
okteiviakom: ([neu] I am tired I am weary)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-17 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Octavia lifted ome shoulder, vaguely.

"You didn't do it on purpose."
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - healthy coping)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-17 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"And you brought me booze after," Lucifer said, lifting his glass. "All is forgiven."
okteiviakom: ([neu] messes ahead)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-17 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Octavia knew what he was doing, and knew she should try and... help that along? Offer something of her own?

But they all knew she was generally the slowest to shift course like that. It would take a while. In the meantime, she was finishing her coffee. And trying to will some energy back into her body.
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - cat ate a canary)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-18 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Lucifer chuckled. "For you, I'm a cheap date," he said. "Anyone outside of this room would have to work considerably harder, I promise you."
okteiviakom: ([neu blodreina] mmmmhmmmmmm)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-18 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"I think we're plenty," Octavia said.

Not upbeat the way she would have liked, but hey. It was words, and words were progress.
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - cat ate a canary)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-18 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Lucifer managed something of a chuckle. "Mm, the bar for people outside of this room is very high," he said. "No one's reached it yet."
okteiviakom: ([neu] hope)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-18 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Octavia made a strangled noise at 'darn tootin'' that was probably an unexpected snort.

She finally finished her coffee, and reached out to set the cup aside.
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - really now?)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-18 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"Freeing up a touch of space under that ceiling with the 'darn tootin', darling," Lucifer said gravely.
okteiviakom: ([pos] unsure why I love you)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-18 08:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"I've never heard it before," Octavia put in.

Whether that was in support or against...
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - intent shirtless drinking)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-19 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
"I try very hard most days not to think about your plaid," Lucifer sighed, and downed the rest of his whiskey, because one kind of had to.
okteiviakom: ([neu] shower fresh)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-19 11:27 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, no, Octavia didn't know who that was or what that meant. She considered the merits of saying so, then just... didn't.

She settled her newly freed hand onto Duke's foot.
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - really now?)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-19 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't think Cindy Crawford's perfectly aesthetically placed mole is really on the same level as your terrible, terrible taste in clothing," Lucifer sighed. "... Date night underwear notwithstanding."
okteiviakom: ([pos] oof)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-19 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Octavia glanced up through her lashes, aiming for wry. Hitting it halfway okay. Tiny, tired upward quirk of the corners of her mouth and everything.

"I didn't help that much."
my_own_advocate: (lucifer - let's talk no i won't button i)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate 2025-04-19 05:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, I doubt that," Lucifer said, smiling at her. "You do have excellent taste, niron."
okteiviakom: ([pos] crumbs of happiness)

[personal profile] okteiviakom 2025-04-19 05:26 pm (UTC)(link)
"I just did what you did when it was me," Octavia told Lucifer, the wry tilt of her smile growing a little more obvious - and a lot more natural. "I was there, and I was encouraging."

(And yes, she knew from first-hand experience that that mattered.)

(no subject)

[personal profile] my_own_advocate - 2025-04-19 17:39 (UTC) - Expand