Isla San Pedro, Chile, Wednesday Afternoon

[okteiviakom]

Summer's voicemail about the painting had come in yesterday. It was the first message from Fandom since they'd taken off before the holidays. And it felt a little like they were being called back. Like it was time to re-join real life again.

But not yet. Not just yet.

For now, Octavia had a picked a stretch of beach - not a particular one, just a nice one - to wade out into the water from. She was feeling the sun on her skin, some very gentle waves against her legs.

And just breathed.

[ooc: NFB for distance, obvs, but open.]

Comments

[betterthanaplan]

"I started counting on you being there when I did," Duke said. "And then . . . you came to the volcano. We were already kissing by then, you'd even already said it once, but you showed up to the volcano and you said you loved me." He let out a soft chuckle and held her close. "And, uh. I was pretty sure I was done for. How was anything but actual love ever going to compare?"

[okteiviakom]

"I remember."

It still squeezed at her chest (her heart) to remember it, the why? echoing in her ears all these years later. It made her voice sound a little hoarse.

"I remember how you looked."

[betterthanaplan]

He'd had . . . a lot of crap to work through, yeah.

"But you didn't run away," Duke said. "Even seeing how busted up I really was."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shook her head, her hands creeping up to cradle his face.

"Never," she murmured. "All I thought about was wanting you to be okay."

[betterthanaplan]

"Mmm . . . still working on that part, I think." He closed his eyes, concentrating on the feel of her hands on his face. "You're helping. A lot."

[okteiviakom]

"I'm doing my best."

They all were.

Her thumb brushed along his cheek, on one side.

[betterthanaplan]

"I know. I'm telling you it's appreciated."

[okteiviakom]

"You're appreciated." Excellent comeback, Tavi. "And you -- you went from not being even able to understand why and how I loved you, to being... Here. Being this."

[betterthanaplan]

"Being . . . kind of a mess who can at least say 'I love you' back?" Duke teased.

He was absolutely hoping she'd tell him how he'd grown, yes.

[okteiviakom]

"That, too," Octavia murmured. "But we're all messes."

Sometimes more, sometimes a little less. But never entirely not.

"I see you, though. How you've opened up."

[betterthanaplan]

"I see you," Duke said in return. "How hard you try."

He hadn't always. He wanted her to know that he was looking for it and seeing it now.

[okteiviakom]

The meaning was not lost on Octavia. "Mochof," she said, sincere and serious. Nodding. "I'm doing my best to be worth... seeing."

So, not sliding back into old bad habits.