The Marina, Cat Island, Friday Afternoon

[okteiviakom]

As most days this week (and the one before that, and the one before that...) Octavia had spent most of the early parts of her day working around the marina. There was always maintenance work to be done, things to fix, areas to tidy. She knew how to do most of the usual things by now, too, and had less of a need for the local workers to show her the ropes, whether literal or figurative. She could just be helpful. Just that, and not a burden or a hindrance.

It settled something in her. At least a little.

But by now, her tasks for the day were done. She'd cleaned all of the maintenance grime off of herself, and was now sitting near where the Fin & Tonic was docked. Watching the water, listening to whatever noise was coming from elsewhere in the marina.

Thinking about home.

[ooc: NFB, open for all the usual with likely SP.]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lucifer asked.

For once, he wasn't hauling coolers or anything around; he'd just stepped off the Fin & Tonic and spotted her there.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia glanced over, then up, at his face.

"Has anyone actually been paid for their thoughts?" she wondered. Not relevant, technically, but a genuine question all the same. "In pennies."

[my_own_advocate]

"... You know, I haven't the faintest," Lucifer said. He sauntered towards her. "I could, if you'd like."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia snorted.

"What am I gonna do with a penny, anyway?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Collect them and buy a snack a year from now?" Lucifer suggested.

[okteiviakom]

"I think I'll just live without any pennies at all," Octavia replied, on the tiniest huff.

And patted the dock beside her.

[my_own_advocate]

"Suppose that is a choice you could make," Lucifer said. He sank down, casting his legs over the edge of the dock. "Penny-poor, something something rich?"

[okteiviakom]

"I don't think I know that saying."

A beat.

"Not that you sound like you do, either."

[my_own_advocate]

"Wait, it's-- penny rich, pound poor, I think," Lucifer muttered. "Penny wise? A dumb proverb, either way."

[okteiviakom]

"Makes no sense," Octavia replied. She didn't seem particularly concerned about it, though.

She turned her gaze back to the water.

Shrugged.

"I was thinking about home."

[my_own_advocate]

"Fandom?" Lucifer said. He looked at her. "It's getting to be time, isn't it?"

She'd humored them for quite a while, after all.

[okteiviakom]

"Eric had some kind of ice... structure melting in the club."

Why was that worth mentioning now? Because of reasons.

[my_own_advocate]

... Lucifer sighed.

"Please tell me he's not trying to redecorate again."

[betterthanaplan]

“Hey you,” Duke greeted. His hair was wet from a swim, and he sat down next to her, holding up a cloth grocery bag. “Brought you some grapes.”

[okteiviakom]

"Did you get them straight from the ocean?" Octavia wondered, wryly, with a little nod towards his hair.

[betterthanaplan]

“Wouldn’t that be cool,” Duke said. “Nah, I picked them up earlier.” He gave her a little smile. “And some cheese.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia quirked her eyebrows a little.

"Cheese, too? What's the occasion?"

[betterthanaplan]

“That I found grapes and cheese at the market today,” Duke said. “And I thought maybe we could have a conversation.” He leaned in to bump her with his shoulder. “If you up to it, I’d love to hear all about what you and Luce have been up to.”

[okteiviakom]

Okay, so the eyebrow quirk went way past 'little', all the way to 'surprised'.

"... That conversation?"

[betterthanaplan]

“If you want,” Duke said. “Or a different one, if you don’t want.”

[okteiviakom]

"Can we at least start with something lighter?" Octavia asked. Offered. Some other verb? "Like, hi, how was your day?"

[betterthanaplan]

“Of course,” Duke said. “I didn’t mean we had to leap right in. Just . . . You asked what the occasion was.” He tilted his head at her. “So. How was your day, then?”

[okteiviakom]

"Pretty... typical, so far," Octavia offered. (This time, it was the right verb.) "You know how it is with the marina. Every day it's something different, but ultimately it's all the same."

Or maybe that was just her, and how she put herself into it.

"How was yours?"

[betterthanaplan]

“Good,” Duke said. “I mean, yeah, the days aren’t that different. But I like how they are, so. . . .” He gave her a little knowing look. “But this isn’t your happy place, like it is for Luce and I, huh.”

That was not that much lighter than his other proposed conversation topic.

[okteiviakom]

It was easier now than it had been a year ago. Octavia would take it.

She shrugged one shoulder. "Nothing's perfect. I like it fine enough." Just not enough to stay indefinitely.