okteiviakom | To the Cape Rouge, Sunday

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To the Cape Rouge, Sunday

Jennifer had taken off for Baltimore. If anyone had asked Octavia about the why and how, maybe even the when of it, she wouldn't have been able to say. Something in her had shut down at the sight of the island, the knowledge that they were no longer in Haven, and she only had one single shred of focus left, and one single goal to go with it:

Just herding Duke across the island, to the port, to the Rouge, to deliver him to Lucifer.

She hadn't said a word the entire way over.

But when they finally stepped onto the dock, with the ship just up ahead, she was almost running.

[ooc: For the two! Follows this.]

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It wasn't a big shift in her expression, but Octavia looked faintly surprised when he showed up within her field of vision.

He was supposed to be in Lucifer's arms, where he was safe.

Lucifer himself wasn't far behind, his hand landing on Duke's shoulder - still desperate for contact - as he squatted down, as well.

"Darling?" he said. "Are you all right?"

As Octavia's eyes slowly focused on Lucifer (not his eyes, she couldn't look him in the eyes, but his face, somewhere around his chin), her frown grew more pronounced. Less surprised, more determined, even as everything else about her just seemed ragged and worn down to the bone.

"You need to take care of him."

That was the only thing that mattered.

Duke shook his head again, swallowing thickly.

"We need to take care of you, too."

What on Earth had happened this weekend?

"I have space for both of you," Lucifer said, searching her face. "Octavia, please. What's going on?"

Octavia stared at --

Yeah, still his chin. His lips.

"Didn't you hear me?"

"Yeah," Duke said, settling back on his heels. He ran his hand over his face, suddenly exhausted. His voice actually got more hoarse. "We heard you. I'm not going to be okay if you're not. So. . . ."

"Let's just all get inside," Lucifer attempted. "We'll lock the hatch behind us. Everyone will be safe."

Octavia's sudden bark of a dry laugh sounded as hoarse as Duke's voice had, just now.

She swallowed as thickly as he had, too.

"It's not locks, it's you," she said. "Keep him safe." Like she hadn't.

Duke pushed back to his feet, shaking his head.

"It was rough," he told Lucifer. "On both of us. How long were we gone?"

He couldn't pretend either of them were okay. Not if the stitches worked the way he was afraid they did.

He might not be able to pretend anything ever again.

"Just since yesterday."

Still enough to leave Lucifer terrified, but not-- long.

Lucifer stayed where he was. "I'll keep him save, Octavia," he said. "But I need you to be safe with us, as well."

Octavia felt like they'd been gone for a week.

Octavia also felt like she'd woken up an hour and a half ago and had then had everything fall apart on her in very fast succession.

Octavia felt like screaming.

Octavia said, "I want to go to my boat," before she even knew she'd thought it.

Duke let out a tight "don't" before he could stop himself.

He was probably never going to see Nathan again. Jennifer had been dead. Audrey was probably gone, obliterated by her -- her evil twin or whatever. He needed the people he had left near him right now. He needed to be able to see them, at least.

"You don't -- have to cuddle. Or whatever." Though he wanted her to. "Just please don't go right now."

In response to that, Octavia fell quiet.

She couldn't do more damage. And it sounded like what she wanted to do would do that.

"If it's solitude you want, I can put up a bedroll in one of the other rooms," Lucifer said quietly, his eyes darting to Duke to make sure that wasn't-- a terrible suggestion.

"But please stay a part of us."

Duke squeezed his eyes shut. He felt weak and he hated it.

"I know -- you're not okay." That was truth. Good. He kept talking, low and dry. "And you have to do what you have to do. I -- won't stop you. But I'd rather be able to see you. If it's alright."

"Okay."

There was no irony in her saying that, was there? It was just a quiet, tired word.

Because she couldn't, wouldn't hurt Duke.

Lucifer nodded, shallow.

He still hadn't a clue what had happened.

"Let's go inside, then."

He rose.

He hated how relieved that made him.

He offered her a shaky smile, shoulders tight, and headed for the door to the galley.

They were home. They were alive. He just had to stay focused on that.

Octavia got up, on legs that felt much more wobbly than they had when she'd sat down.

But that felt about right for this moment.

Lucifer's hand rose up instinctively to steady her, anyway.

Good. She needed someone and it didn't sound like she'd let Duke be that someone just now.

He'd just. Let go later. He could hold on a little longer.

He spotted a bowl of fruit on the galley counter and went for it, suddenly realizing he had no idea when they'd last eaten. "Anyone else want a banana?"

Octavia swayed away from Lucifer's attempt. She'd realize how it looked - how all of this looked - much, much later, probably. But right now she just couldn't bear it.

Didn't think she should be allowed it in the first place.

She followed Duke quietly into the galley.

Lucifer sucked in a loud breath through his nose, and just... tried not to take it personally.

He followed right behind them, his body unconsciously taking up more space, protecting them from whatever laid outside.

"I just ate," he said.

Duke nodded. He pulled two off the bunch and offered one to Octavia without looking fully at her. He felt absurdly like he was failing her.

Like he'd been constantly failing her since they'd woken up together on the Sanguine Moon some combination of this morning and two days ago that he couldn't wrap his head around right now.

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