Lucifer's (et al) mansion, Wednesday night

[betterthanaplan]

The post-resurrection high Duke had apparently been riding since they'd gotten back from Haven had faded, though he still felt physically better than he had in a long time. Possibly ever.

He was doing his best to maintain that physical wellbeing, even if his emotional wellbeing was slightly rockier again, and as such, very nearly ended up late to his planned date night with Lucifer, having spent longer swimming easy laps in the pool than he'd intended.

He was pretty sure Lucifer wasn't going to knock him too much for still being damp from a post-swim shower as he set the table and carefully plated the Egyptian-style fish sandwiches he'd put together for them for dinner.

The fact that he was wearing one of his favorite worn-soft old flannel shirts open over his bare chest might help, too. ;D

[for him!]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, hello," spoke the Devil in the doorway. Predictably.

His priorities did not involve timeliness, no.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke pushed a wet lock of hair from his face and offered Lucifer a bright smile.

"Hey, babe," he greeted, coming over to give Lucifer a kiss. "Right on time."

What? Irony was fun, even if you were the only one fully aware of it.

[my_own_advocate]

"I can see that I am," Lucifer agreed. If his hands slid under that open shirt while he kissed Duke back, well, that's what it was for, wasn't it?

[betterthanaplan]

It one hundred percent was. Well, 99%. One percent was just because Duke had been kind of lazy getting dressed after his swim.

"I was just trying to work out what to drink with dinner. In Egypt they'd go for something really strong and tart, so maybe a dessert wine?"

[my_own_advocate]

"What's the dish?" Lucifer inquired.

[betterthanaplan]

"Fried fish sandwiches," Duke said, gesturing proudly to the platter he'd set up. "Breaded fillets on pita, with tahini and both fresh and pickled vegetables. And some crispy roasted eggplant for the side."

[my_own_advocate]

"Ooooh," Lucifer said. He grinned. "I believe I have a sweet, citrusy Semillon that would pair perfectly with that."

[betterthanaplan]

"See, I knew you'd know exactly what to serve," Duke said appreciatively. "Go grab it while I finish setting the table?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Of course, darling," Lucifer said. Though he stole one more kiss before he actually slipped away from Duke to go browse the wine.

It had its own dedicated little section, of course.

[betterthanaplan]

Was anyone surprised?

Duke spent a happy moment just watching his boyfriend in his element, then quickly finished setting the table.

"So," he said, letting it sound offhanded as he lit the candle (atmosphere was everything). "How are you?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, it's date night, and I'm about to have an excellent dinner prepared for me by a very attractive half-naked man," Lucifer offered. He stretched up, turned around, and walked to the table. "I've certainly had worse times."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke snorted. "I should damn well hope so."

Oh, that stretch was nice. Lucifer really should stretch more.

"And, uh. In general? Not to drag the mood down or anything, but . . . well, I've got my head out of my ass enough to know you haven't had the easiest time since we got back."

[my_own_advocate]

"Ah."

The part Lucifer had been trying to dance around, then? Pity. He'd hoped Duke wouldn't notice.

"Well," he said. "I still haven't had my brother kicking down the door to make a nuisance of himself, so that has been a bit of a relief..."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded.

"Amenadiel has his place, and it is not in Fandom," he agreed.

[my_own_advocate]

"And," Lucifer said, reaching for the corkscrew, "If he's not here, then that means he hasn't... sensed... anything. Perhaps nothing's changed."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded slowly. "Have any of your brothers ever, uh. Brought anyone back before?"

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer finished filling up his glass, first. "...Yes," he said, something like relief visible in his shoulders. "Amenadiel brought back a particularly annoying cop to frustrate me with. Malcolm."

[betterthanaplan]

“So it’s not unheard of,” Duke said. “Okay, that’s really good to know. You don’t need full god powers to do it.”

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer nodded slowly.

"Perhaps I am just manifestic angelic powers I've never used," he said, optimistically. "... Yes. Yes, that must be it."

[betterthanaplan]

"Makes sense to me!"

Mmmm, denial.

"It was a lot, what happened. And we all freaked out a bit. Totally understandable."

Duke's glimpse of Hell at large still haunted him, for one. The ash, the stones, that tall, tall throne. . . .

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer nodded.

"At least I stopped your Hell loop quickly enough," he added. "Malcolm went a touch mad."

Time to top up Duke's glass!

[betterthanaplan]

Duke shuddered. "Yeah. I can see where that would happen."

The time he'd spent down there . . . well. It wasn't not sticking to him.

"Though . . . I mean, it was bad down there, for sure. But I was probably lucky my Hell loop wasn't what Croatoan forced me to do."

Because Hell was about regrets. And while that was awful, Duke didn't consider it his fault. It was all trauma, no self-flagellation.

[my_own_advocate]

"He was very sadistic," Lucifer agreed. "Drink your wine."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke drank.

"It's fucked up," he admitted. "Knowing I can be used like that." He shook himself. "That I could be."

He was just going to lean into the idea that without the aether in him, he didn't have that vulnerability anymore. Mind controlling reindeer need not apply.

[my_own_advocate]

"Not anymore."

There was a kind of grim finality to that statement.

Then Lucifer drank his own wine.