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. "How good are you with the traffic lights?"

[betterthanaplan]

"It's been a little while since I used it in action," Duke admitted. "But I'm familiar."

[okteiviakom]

"We can practice," Octavia promised, not that he needed her to. She also gave him another wry, lopsided smirk. "I'm getting pretty good at it."

[betterthanaplan]

"Well, sure. You like to be good at things."

That was a deep observation, okay?

[okteiviakom]

"The things that matter to me," Octavia retorted.

Yes, this was one of them.

[betterthanaplan]

"The things -- and people -- that matter to you, yes. You're happy to ignore the rest if possible."

It was almost like he knew her.

[okteiviakom]

It was almost like they'd been together for about five years. (In his personal timeline, anyway.)

"Exactly," Octavia replied. "I don't have the patience for the rest."

[betterthanaplan]

"Patience is hard," Duke said. "You gotta save it for the important stuff."

[okteiviakom]

"Like trying to get our differences to work for us."

[betterthanaplan]

"Like exactly that, yes." Duke gave her a squeeze. "Thank you for being patient with me, gona."

[okteiviakom]

"It's easy now that we're getting somewhere," Octavia replied, stretching up a bit to brush a kiss against his cheek. "And I think... it'll be rewarding in the long run. For all of us."

[betterthanaplan]

"I really hope so." Duke closed his eyes for a moment at the kiss, and let himself sway them both just a little. "I think we're all due some good things."

[okteiviakom]

"Long overdue, in some cases," Octavia murmured, lingering a little.

[betterthanaplan]

"Possibly most cases," Duke said, following her lingering touch. "I'd say things are looking up just now, but I'm afraid I'd jinx us."

[okteiviakom]

And how.

"So don't get ahead of yourself," Octavia murmured, pressing her nose against his cheek. "Focus on the right now."

[betterthanaplan]

"Right now." Duke brought his hand up to rest on the back of her neck, thumb sliding along her hairline. "Right now, I am enjoying this. The rock, the sand, the sun, the breeze. You."

Five things he could feel. In order of increasing importance.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia nodded, her lips tugging into another small smile.

"Good," she said, soft and like she... really meant it.

[betterthanaplan]

“I’d like to kiss you, now.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia leaned up to meet him.

"Do it."

[betterthanaplan]

And so he did. Deeply, passionately. For as long as she'd let him.