The Deck of the Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Friday Afternoon

[okteiviakom]

Octavia knew there was a Parents Weekend thing happening in town right now. She was still undecided on whether she wanted to put in an appearance, because on one hand, last year's had led to some bad times for her. On the other... There was some small part of her that hoped, no matter how foolishly, that maybe Gloria would somehow show up.

(There was just so much she wanted to tell her. And so much fear that she would never get to.)

So far, for her trek through town after her usual Friday routine of therapy and swimming out in New York, she had steered clear of the park. She had a big bag from a shoe store to get home, anyway. See, there'd been some talk of those early days on the Ground in her session today, and then she'd taken a slightly different route from her usual in getting to the portal place, and she'd seen the boots in a store window, and, well. She'd never been able to resist a good symbol. Especially one as personal as this, appearing at just the right time for it to feel a little like something else than just pure coincidence.

(Even with how mired in complications that thought was for her, these days. For reasons she had still not discussed with Dr. Baker at all.)

And even as she stepped aboard the Rouge, she was still wondering whether she should've just taken her purchase on the Samsara instead, and buried them in her closet. The urge to share and the urge to keep it to herself felt equal.

Maybe she'd shove them in a closet here, instead.

[ooc: Open, though slow.]

Comments

[okteiviakom]

Octavia lifted one shoulder, a little helplessly.

"Wish you had, too."

[betterthanaplan]

“We kind of suck at this part, huh.”

[okteiviakom]

"Yeah," Octavia replied. Because they did. They really did. "But," she continued, brushing her hair behind her ear, "I didn't try to leave when this conversation got difficult, so... I want to think we're making progress."

[betterthanaplan]

"Oh hey." Duke gave her a shaky smile. "You're right. And, uh. I tried not to accuse you of not trying."

[okteiviakom]

"See?"

Her mirrored smile was a lot on the weak side, too.

"That's something." A beat. "Not a lot, but something."

[betterthanaplan]

"Progress," Duke said. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "I'm proud of us."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia heaved a sigh, closing her eyes.

"Baby steps, right?"

[betterthanaplan]

“If that’s what it takes to keep you, I’ll take the babiest steps in the world.”

[okteiviakom]

Well.

For that, he was getting a very clingy Octavia. Or at least one that was now doing her best to wrap her arms around him, burying her face against his neck.

[betterthanaplan]

And Duke was just going to cling right back.

“I think . . . I’ve been trying to be too careful with you. I’m going to try to be better. Remember how strong you are.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded against his neck. "You won't be what breaks me," she murmured.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke wasn’t so sure about that. But then, that was exactly his problem, wasn’t it.

“Promise?” he asked. Then: “Swega klin?”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia pulled back enough that she could look at him, her eyes solemn and serious.

"Ai swega klin, jaka," she promised. "You don't need to protect me."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke decided the best response to that was to kiss her. So he did.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia kissed him back, her hand finding its way into the hair at the back of his neck. There always had to be an anchor.

She had more to say, but...

This said a few things, too. Had a sense of relief about it.

[betterthanaplan]

It was . . . recentering. Not a sidetrack.

Duke pulled back after a moment, but only far enough to breathe, his forehead pressed to hers.

“Ai hod you in, natshana.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia exhaled a shuddery little breath. "Ai hod yu in, deimeika."

And that was something she'd wanted to say more about.

She swallowed. Breathed in. "All the sun has to do," she murmured, "is keep showing up."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke ducked in a startled breath.

“You know, I wasn’t actually known for that, before you.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's fingers tried to tuck his ever-present loose strand of hair behind his ear.

"Sometimes we change for our people."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke’s eyes fell shut. He loved it when his people touched his hair.

“Sometimes our people change us.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's fingers found their way further into his hair again. One of these days, she thought, she was going to have to sit him down and braid his hair for a while.

"And I'm really trying to... not just change, but grow for you."

Because he deserved better.

[betterthanaplan]

“I know you are,” Duke said. He reached up with his uncasted hand to rest it against her neck. (He’d love to let her braid his hair again.) “It’s incredible to me, how much you have already.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia's head tilted a little. It was her best option for leaning into the touch, sort of.

"Drugs, therapy and stubborness," she said, her tone wry. "Guess they're all good for something."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke chuckled. “Well, we’ll see how I do with the second one this time. Linda nailed me down to a weekly schedule.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia really wanted to not make a big deal about it.

Her eyebrows sort of climbed up a little, though. "Did she?"