The Samsara, Port of Fandom, Monday Afternoon

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had invited Duke over to her boat after class. It was not a big deal. Except it felt like one, since they were still in the process of -- well, getting Duke settled into the idea that the Samsara wasn't some sacred space he wasn't allowed in.

So Octavia was almost glad that she had something else to think about when they actually made it there. See, stumbling onto a class and joining them had been a good idea right up until the point where the class was done, and it was time to come out of the water, and realize you had not brought a change of clothes.

Thankfully, the weather was warm enough for walking to the docks in clothes that were still wet all over, but it hadn't been the best thing Octavia had ever experienced.

"I should have fruit if you want a snack," she told Duke, as she stepped down into the cabin. "I'm gonna change into something less... damp."

[ooc: For the snogon!]

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[betterthanaplan]

"And you were right. Ai briyon gona."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia leaned over to press a quick kiss to his forehead, not even caring that she had to pretty much fold over in her seat to do it.

"Ai ste shanen."

[betterthanaplan]

“Yu ste,” Duke agreed, smiling.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave a soft snort, then lingered to nuzzle at his hair a little, not caring that it was still a little damp. Not one bit. "Are you sure you remember what shanen means?"

[betterthanaplan]

"I was a minute ago," Duke said. "It doesn't mean 'shiny'?"

[okteiviakom]

And now the nuzzling turned into the muffling of --

Octavia would not have called it a laugh. But it was the closest to one she'd gotten in a while.

"It means 'happy'."

[betterthanaplan]

"Yeah?" Duke kissed the side of her knee. "It's, uh. Been a little while."

[okteiviakom]

"Don't get too excited," Octavia murmured, somewhat wryly. "It's just because you like the stupid fish."

[betterthanaplan]

"Too late," Duke said. "I will take that as a win no matter the reason."

[okteiviakom]

"Branwoda," Octavia murmured, and dropped another kiss on the top of his head. "Tripi hef."

And another.

"Deimeika."

[betterthanaplan]

Another soft noise, this one pleased, and kissed her knee again. "En yu ai natshana."

[okteiviakom]

"Sha, ai laik yu natshana," Octavia murmured.

It was weird how the way he was sitting by her feet, curled against her leg, made her feel small, somehow. But it was a good feeling.

"Yu snogon," she added. "Otaim. Taim en's tofon, en taim en's nopro."

[betterthanaplan]

“When it’s hard and when it’s easy,” Duke translated. “Otaim.”

[okteiviakom]

"Yeah," Octavia sighed. "Exactly. You and me, we're... Otaim. If I have anything to say about it."

[betterthanaplan]

"No argument from me." Duke sighed. "You know, when I'm in my right mind and all."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's expression got slowly a little more serious. "And when I'm not... drowning."

She seemed to be slowly but surely doing a little better with that, though. So far, she was attributing it to the vacation.

[betterthanaplan]

“How’s, uh. How’s that going? You’ve seemed a bit more . . . even.”

[okteiviakom]

"Well, I guess?" Octavia said. "But there also haven't been any disasters for like three weeks now."

Seemed like it would be easier to be even when your surroundings weren't constantly throwing curve balls at you.

[betterthanaplan]

“. . . True. Maybe the island will go easy on us a little longer. Let us get our strength back.”

[okteiviakom]

"I'd really like that," Octavia sighed. "Feels easier to breathe like this."

[betterthanaplan]

“I know what you mean.” Duke was managing to keep his issues pressed down under a thick blanket of ‘everything is fine’, but still.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's voice went softer and quieter, anyway.

"How have you been feeling?"

Worth a shot.

[betterthanaplan]

“I am. . . .” Duke did his best. He really did. But part of keeping that crap down was lying to himself almost as hard as he did to anyone else. “I’m good. Sleeping better, nightmares faded, only the usual amount of paranoid. . . .”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia doubted that was the whole truth. She knew he buried things.

(It was why she'd had so much guilt over not going with them during the pollen week. When he was willing to show something messed with him, it was bad.)

But she ran her fingers over his hair, and didn't question him. "I've been sleeping a little better, too."

[betterthanaplan]

"Good," Duke said firmly. "Guess the whole splitting time between boats thing is working for us, huh?"

You know, when you ignored that she still had to directly invite him before he felt okay about going over to hers.