okteiviakom | Port of Fandom, Monday Afternoon

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Port of Fandom, Monday Afternoon

It had been a month, almost to the day, since Lucifer had taken off to do... whatever exactly it was that he needed to do before he would be able to come home for good. A month that they'd then spent in Los Angeles, grappling with his absence in whatever ways they could. Days had turned into weeks, and then weeks were turning into --

Anyway. Duke and Octavia had finally decided to sail back to the island. Or sail into a portal and out of one, anyway, which brought them here, to Fandom's achingly familiar port. Into their usual slip, right by their other boats. As if they'd never left.

But they had very much left, abruptly, nearly five months ago. And now everything felt surreal, and once Duke had maneuvered the Rouge where it needed to be, Octavia focused all of her attention on going through the usual motions for making sure they docked safely and securely to keep herself from thinking about anything else.

"Is that everything?" she checked, once they seemed to be done. She was in fact pretty sure it was everything.

Maybe she was just hoping to keep doing things with her hands.

[ooc: Primarily for the guy, but open!]

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"I just said I don't want to, jaka," Octavia told him, gently. "It's fine if you do."

She hadn't needed to be stuck to his side all through the last month (although she'd definitely felt more of the urge than usual), she wasn't going ti start now.

Duke frowned a little. But telling her he didn't like leaving her alone wouldn't necessarily go over well.

"Okay," he said instead, and dropped a soft kiss on her hair. "I'm going to go get a towel. Call if you need anything?"

He was welcome to his feelings. Octavia wouldn't have faulted him for them. She wasn't overjoyed about him going, either, but she'd gotten the impression he needed it, so...

She just nodded. Faintly, as to not disrupt the kiss while it was there. "Okay."

"I'll be back soon," Duke promised. He gave her another final squeeze, then let her go and headed below-decks to get ready to go.

It would've been pointless to say 'okay' again, so Octavia swallowed it down.

She stayed still for a moment after he'd gone. When she finally moved, she found one of the benches to sit on. Watched the water.

Felt her restlessness growing and tried to ignore it.

Duke hadn't needed to grab much, just a water bottle and a towel. So he was back soon. With two water bottles.

He set one down on the bench next to her.

"See you later, snogon."

"Sha," Octavia agreed, as she reached for the bottle.

Except all she actually did was brush her fingertips against his hand.

Duke paused, turning his hand to grasp hers.

"Do you want me to stay?"

Not need. He knew she didn't need it.

Octavia had meant to let him go, but instead her fingers curled around his hand.

She looked up at him.

And after a little pause, nodded.

Duke tossed his towel onto another bench and picked up the water bottle again with his free hand so he could sit.

"Then I'll stay. The onsen will still be there tomorrow." A beat. "Assuming it's still there at all right now."

"You can find out tomorrow," Octavia replied, scooting just a little closer, leaning against his side.

More quietly, she added, "Mochof.'

"De nada," Duke said, with a gentle emphasis on the second word. "I'm glad you let me know to ask."

"I'm glad you paid attention," Octavia murmured. Her thumb rubbed his hand. "Sorry it took me a moment to figure out."

There was so much of her that remained a creature of instinct, and those instincts weren't always clear.

"That's allowed." He didn't point out that she could have called him. He knew she wouldn't have. "Taking time, I mean."

Octavia absolutely would not have called, he had that right.

"Mmm." She let her head tip against his shoulder. Let her eyes close, too, and just breathed for a beat.

And then asked, "What were you hoping to get from the onsen?"

Duke shrugged slightly, careful not to dislodge her. "Don't know," he said. "I kind of wanted to swim, but the Atlantic's basically freezing right now. Just . . . wanted to find some . . . peace."

That feeling of hanging in the water, the one he'd shared with her ages ago, when they were sharing nightmares.

Octavia nodded, faintly.

"I was just wondering if it was something... I could help you get." Now that she'd kept him from going. "Here."

“Probably not right away,” Duke admitted. “I get something close when Luce and I, uh, play.”

And they still hadn’t talked through what Octavia and Duke might do together in a similar way.

"Right," Octavia replied, a bit blandly, if anything. Suddenly kind of glad her eyes were already closed. "Sorry."

“We could also try getting stoned,” Duke offered. “I just — sometimes it’s nice to . . . not be. If that makes sense.”

Especially now, knowing for sure that he wouldn’t get his reincarnation as a bird or a fish.

"I get it," Octavia muttered, because she did.

But.

"But we're not there, yet," Duke said. Answering what he suspected might be on her mind. He let go of her hand so he could wrap his arm over her shoulders instead. "We still have too much to figure out, first."

"You're stuck here with the partner that can't bring you peace," Octavia said, mostly to stop him from fumbling around in the dark.

And a little bit to keep him from making her unfairly mad at him. Either way, her tone was even, factual.

"I am missing one of my partners while trying to be a comfort to another partner," Duke said. "I'd be having trouble finding peace if it was Lucifer here with you gone, too."

He hated it whenever Octavia got caught up in telling him how she heard some of the things he said.

So she didn't.

"You can go to the onsen if you think you'll find it there." It was a genuine offer, the same it had been the first time.

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