The Deck of the Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Thursday Morning

[okteiviakom]

Octavia and Duke had made it back to Fandom last night. Duke had taken off almost immediately, and Octavia couldn't really blame him. It had been -- a lot. Really, everything had been a lot, lately.

She'd gone straight to bed.

Hadn't actually fallen asleep until after Duke had come back, but it was the thought that counted, right? Hadn't really slept well after that, either, her dreams a mess of fragments of card sharks and real sharks and cold nights.

It wasn't until morning that she realized it was Thursday, and that she'd missed her shift at the club last night. Not that being at the Devil's Nest would have done her any good, right now, anyway. Lucifer was gone, and she felt the absence sharply enough as it was.

It was quiet, as she stood on the deck of the Cape Rouge with a mug of coffee (with some pumpkin spice creamer in it, although it felt stragely undeserved). For the first time in days, nothing in particular was happening that needed her attention. Everything was as still as it could be while the water swayed the ship gently underneath her feet in its familiar way. Some porgs appeared to be napping by the gunwale in a spot of morning sun.

And all Octavia could think about was a demon using Eleanor's mouth to say, He's been pretty sad the last couple of years, since he got back.

Her eyes were stinging, and she didn't even try to fight it.

[ooc: Open, thought subject to SP until my evening. I just really wanted to take advantage of this calm between a plot and an event weekend, omg.]

Comments

[betterthanaplan]

Duke's still being played conversation with Rey last night had been cathartic. Uncomfortable and strange and full of things that Duke didn't necessarily want to think too much about, but then, that was what his and Octavia's relationship had been like all week. (For months, if he wanted to be honest with himself.) Duke had been quiet when he'd gotten home, and then slept hard, despite his dreams.

So when he finally made his way up onto the deck, nursing his own cup of coffee, he was still muzzy and at best half awake.

He came over without saying anything. Looked at the porgs. Then leaned down to give her a kiss on top of her head in lieu of a verbal greeting.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia exhaled a soft sigh.

Then she snuck her arm around his waist, trying to pull him closer to her side.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke went, leaning into her and slipping his own arm over her shoulders.

Maybe the secret was just to not talk.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia wasn't rushing to do it, at least. She felt like she needed this, a quiet and soft moment, and was currently worn down enough to just lean into it.

And she'd noticed how subdued he'd been when he'd come home last night. Figured he might need this, too.

She looked at the porgs, while her fingers rubbed slow circles against his side.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke watched the water. Thought about "space" and "room to breathe".

And maybe hung onto her just a little bit tighter as he sipped his coffee.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia sipped hers too, half in an unconscious attempt to mirror him. It still tasted wrong to her, but she took another sip anyway, and looked across the water.

Then closed her eyes. Tried to focus on the moment.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke was, for once in his life, entirely unmotivated to break the silence. It was weird. A little comforting, but definitely weird. Like borrowing someone else's big warm sweater.

He and Octavia still had a lot they needed to talk about. Work through. But right now. . . . Right now, it was just them, the boat, the porgs, and the water.

Right now, that was more than enough.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia focused on the little things. The smell of the ocean. The bob and sway under her feet. The aftertaste of the coffee in her mouth. The weight of Duke's arm over her shoulders, the warmth of his side against hers.

The sound of him breathing.

Her eyes blinked open, and she finally looked up at him. Not really looking for words, just... looking. Grasping at a thought.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke felt her shift and looked back, raising his eyebrows a little in question.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia breathed in. "Can I --"

She didn't know how to word it without sounding ridiculous. So instead, slow and very careful with her mug, she turned towards him... Until she could press the side of her head against the middle of his chest.

To try and listen to his heartbeat.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke blinked a little, but made no move to stop her. Just held his coffee a little higher so she wouldn't bump into it, and kept holding on.

His pulse was strong and calm. His breaths clear and even.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia closed her eyes again, and just listened for a moment. Just felt, and sensed, and tried to be in this moment where the beat of his heart was steady and strong.

She exhaled a tiny, shuddery sigh, then pulled back again, her eyes blinking open, then trying to blink something away.

"Mochof."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke gave her a little, sleepy smile. "De nada."

[okteiviakom]

The expression on Octavia's face had already been pretty open. Especially if compared to how she'd looked over the past couple of weeks.

It softened further at his smile.

She reached up, pressed a little kiss to one corner of it. Feather light and almost hesitant.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke loved that look on her face. He worried, sometimes, that he wouldn't ever see it again.

He didn't press it. Didn't lean in to deepen the kiss, or hang on or pull back. He just . . . let her do what she needed to, and enjoyed this moment while it lasted.

It wouldn't last long enough, but then, nothing ever did.

[okteiviakom]

He always let her do what she needed to. Wasn't that the problem?

Even if it wasn't one right in this moment.

But he hadn't pulled away, or flinched back, or anything else. And emboldened by that, Octavia pressed another kiss against the other corner.

And then a third, right in the middle.

[betterthanaplan]

It was, actually. But today it had the advantage of also being something he wanted, too.

He smiled against that third kiss, then finally spoke.

"In a good mood?"

His voice was dry and a little cracked, so when he was pretty sure he could do it without spilling any on her, he took another sip of his coffee.

[okteiviakom]

"Not really," Octavia admitted, quiet and soft. Dry, too, but that was just how her voice was. "But this feels like a good moment."

It felt like something stolen, honestly.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded. That about matched his feeling too, so he didn't bother speaking up again, just settled his arm more comfortably around her and looked out over the water again.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia took a sip from her mug, then let her head rest against his shoulder. Let her eyes close again.

Let herself just enjoy it.

Maybe it was a stolen moment. But it was the first one in a while that felt like it was theirs.