okteiviakom: ([neg] aww shit)
Octavia Blake ([personal profile] okteiviakom) wrote2023-07-08 03:16 pm

Deck of the Cape Rouge, Saturday Morning

Octavia had been dreaming of many things, this week. Mostly Haven, mostly horror, but many other messy things, too. Sheep and tilling fields and glowing butterflies and a week on a farm (sheepskin blankets and bonedeep exhaustion and a warm voice in her ear talking about what use was fighting at the end of the world?) had featured in jumbled everything of it all, but that was not out of the ordinary enough for Octavia to have really paid it much mind.

(And, well, she always felt drawn to the woods. And particularly when traumatic shit had been going down.)

So this was just any old Saturday morning.

She had a coffee cup in hand when she emerged onto the deck, with faint plans of at least finding some nice stretches to do in a bit that wouldn't irritate her wounds too much. But of course, all that was forgotten when she looked up and saw a young man standing at the edge of the deck, just barely over the gangplank.

The cup fell from her grasp as she stared at him.

[ooc: Opennn.]
betterthanaplan: (unarmed)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-08 07:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh. Well, that put everything into perspective, then.

Duke loosened his hold on her, but kept an arm around her as he turned towards Ilian. "Sorry. We've, uh. Been through a lot, lately."
mystupidsheep: ([pos] like slightly)

[personal profile] mystupidsheep 2023-07-08 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
In response, Ilian cast a little glance around not just the boat, but both the land on side, the water on the other.

"World's still standing, though."

Something was slowly occurring to Octavia.
Edited 2023-07-08 19:34 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (what can you do?)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-08 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, weirdly the end of the world isn't the only bad shit that can go down."

Sorry, Ilian. Duke was a little thin on patience right now.
mystupidsheep: ([neu] resolute)

[personal profile] mystupidsheep 2023-07-08 08:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm aware," Ilian said, with an evenness that wasn't not reminiscent of Octavia sometimes.

"He's dead, Duke," Octavia murmured. "And it wasn't the first bad thing that happened to him."
betterthanaplan: (so that's concerning)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-09 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"He's from your world," Duke said by way of agreement.

He was still not exactly giving Ilian his friendliest look.
betterthanaplan: (hugging but fucked)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-09 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Duke's mouth snapped shut. He hung onto her a little tighter.

There was nothing he could say to that. Nothing at all.
mystupidsheep: ([pos] like slightly)

[personal profile] mystupidsheep 2023-07-09 03:28 pm (UTC)(link)
The something that had been working its way to the forefront of Octavia's mind finally clicked, and her eyes were big and sad on Ilian. "But... But how can you be here? What about -- what about your next journey?"

Was it because she'd helped destroy the planet?

Was he trapped?

And Ilian just looked back at her, so gentle, and shook his head. Almost smiled. (Her chest ached.) "Sometimes it just takes spring a little longer to come."
Edited 2023-07-09 15:28 (UTC)
betterthanaplan: (checking in)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-09 03:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's the weekend," Duke told Octavia softly. "You know how this stuff works. He'll probably move on again by Monday."
betterthanaplan: (let's think this through)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-09 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Duke had his eyes firmly on Octavia again now, still rubbing her back.

"I know it's not your usual, but I feel like you could use a drink."
betterthanaplan: (oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-09 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Duke let her pull away, though he stayed ready to move if it looked like something might upset her more.
betterthanaplan: (state of the artwork)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-09 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, this was just putting Duke more and more on edge.

“Tavi?” He asked quietly.

He knew she could handle herself physically, but he wasn’t sure either of them could handle much more heaped on her mentally.
mystupidsheep: ([neu] downcast)

[personal profile] mystupidsheep 2023-07-09 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"I..." Octavia tried, on another shuddery breath, but didn't seem to get anywhere.

"She left this with me," Ilian put in, once it became clear she was swallowing back tears. "After I died."
betterthanaplan: (very serious and three-quarters)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-10 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Duke frowned faintly, trying to see what it was without invading their space. (Their space. The idea that Octavia had left him something after killing him was definitely leading him more towards 'this guy is okay' territory. For all that his presence seemed to be torturing her.

(He'd probably be about the same if Wade suddenly showed up, after all.)

". . . Guess you really can take it with you."

None of that was going to stop him from snarking, though.
mystupidsheep: ([neu] a little weary but okay)

[personal profile] mystupidsheep 2023-07-10 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Ilian shrugged a little. Smiled, but faintly.

"It seemed important."

Octavia was holding back tears again.
betterthanaplan: (*shrug*)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-10 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Duke was starting to feel awkward as the adrenaline faded from his system.

"Do you -- you want me to leave you two alone for a bit?"

He'd still hover, just . . . out of direct sight.
betterthanaplan: (resigned)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-10 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"Okay." Duke reached out to brush his hand over her shoulders. "I won't be far. Shout if you need me."
betterthanaplan: (snuggly hat)

[personal profile] betterthanaplan 2023-07-10 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Duke noticed. Tried not to take it personally. (Failed, at least a little.)

He grabbed the ladder leading to the wheelhouse and quickly scaled up it, ducking inside where he could be out of the way, but still within easy yelling distance.

Tried to remember what she may have said to him about Ilian, but couldn't concentrate well enough to bring anything to mind.