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

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded again.

"He hadn't meant it like that, but he'd made me feel like all of these other islands were... like we were just sampling them for a place to move to," she said, just a little quieter. "As if one day you two were just going to decide to not go back to Fandom again."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke grimaced sympathetically.

“Must have felt like you were going to lose your home all over again.”

[okteiviakom]

"Felt like the choice was going to be taken away from me again," Octavia agreed. "By something bigger and stronger than me."

[betterthanaplan]

“I’m sorry,” Duke said. “Lucifer and I, we always try to take what you need into consideration. We’re not always great at it, but — we don’t want to take away your choices.”

[okteiviakom]

"I know," Octavia promised. "Lucifer and I talked about it, and it helped. I don't feel so... powerless." Not surprising she would have a problem with feeling that way, probably. "But even though it's not forever, I'm still choosing to call Fandom home, so..."

She shrugged one shoulder.

[betterthanaplan]

"So," Duke said, by way of agreement. "I had a pool put into the mansion, to make it feel more like a good home for me, too."

[okteiviakom]

"I think that's... kind of why Lucifer invited you to, too," Octavia murmured, glancing back the way they came, on instinct. "I think he wants it to feel more ours."

[betterthanaplan]

"Oh, he definitely does. That was one of the things he asked me for directly." Duke let out a soft, self-effacing chuckle. "It hadn't even occurred to me to treat the mansion like it was also mine until he got really explicit about inviting me to."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave his hand a squeeze.

"For what it's worth," she murmured, "some ways it also feels more mine, too, now that you have a good claim on it."

[betterthanaplan]

"Good," Duke said firmly. "I just wish I'd known it would be good for you two sooner." He sighed. "But, you know. We're all works in progress."

[okteiviakom]

"It's the best we can ask for," Octavia agreed, looking ahead again. Now they really were at the cove. "We just take it at whatever pace it comes. And get... pleasantly surprised when things work out."

[betterthanaplan]

"And try not to be too disappointed when they don't," Duke agreed. He slowed, now they were where they were going. "Should we find a spot to sit?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia gave him her best wrily amused look.

"Unless you wanna stand up for some reason."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke laughed, raising his free hand in mock-defense. "Hey, I'm trying not to assume anything."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia snorted.

(It was a very positive sound, in this context.)

"Yeah, we should sit. Somewhere we can sit... close."

To each other, obviously.

[betterthanaplan]

"Good call," Duke said, and led the way over to a handy bench-like rock, where they could watch the water.

[okteiviakom]

Was Octavia going to end up sitting on the sand in front of the rock, sooner or later? Stay tuned to find out.

But for now, she took advantage of the bench-like quality to sit down. Then glanced around, and gave a soft little sigh. "Yeah, this should do."

It felt private.

[betterthanaplan]

"It's gorgeous," Duke agreed, sitting next to her.

He was looking at her, not the cove.

[okteiviakom]

It took Octavia a second to realize that. She was about to voice her agreement right up until the second she actually looked at him, and saw where he was looking.

"Are you hitting on me?" she drawled, raising her eyebrows. "Because... it might work."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke laughed. "Good," he said. "And yes. I am almost always hitting on you."

[okteiviakom]

"You did bring me out here to hear sex stories," Octavia replied, with an amused look. "So it wasn't exactly subtle."

Also the lighter she could keep the moment, the less likely it was they'd create a paralyzingly Big Deal Moment out of their potential sharing. Maybe.

[betterthanaplan]

"Yup, I sure did," Duke agreed. "And I brought snacks!"

He pulled out the grapes and unwrapped some cheese.

[okteiviakom]

"And you brought snacks," Octavia agreed.

In fact, she was going to steal a grape or two right now. (Well, 'steal'.)

[betterthanaplan]

It was fully not stealing when it was freely offered. But Duke was amused by the attitude of it anyway.

"I have no idea how to gracefully dive in," he admitted.

[okteiviakom]

There was very little left of the younger Octavia who'd joked about scheming, but sometimes bits still shone through the cracks, so to speak.

She gave a soft snort. "I don't think there is a way to do that," she said, with a small shake of her head. And then she tilted her head, and lifted one shoulder a bit. "You wanna maybe start with a question?"