Isla San Pedro, Chile, Friday Evening

[okteiviakom]

For weeks, for much longer than on any previous trip out to any of their islands, Octavia had been content. Happy to figure out her new, temporary normal, her new temporary habits and routines. Her favorite paths in the woods, her favorite patches of beach to bring a yoga mat to, the places she knew Duke and Lucifer gravitated towards.

But it always got to her in the end. (Still. For now.) That jittery little feeling, calling her back to her actual routines, her actual favorite places.

Calling her home.

She'd told the guys. Sooner rather than later, they'd be heading back to Fandom.

But tonight, they were still here, on their little Chilean island. The sun was setting, and Octavia was out on the beach not too far from the cabin. She was sitting cross-legged on the sand, a small bowl of chopped up fresh fruit on her lap, and her phone and one of those little portable speakers next to her.

Playing music into the darkening night as she watched the water.

I know I don't get there often enough, but God knows I surely try...

Like all the best things, the moment felt to Octavia like freedom to just breathe. A sense of calm. Belonging.

More or less.

[ooc: NFB because of distance, but open to thems that are here.]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"The cabana certainly worked out in the end, didn't it?" Lucifer asked.

He came strolling down the beach, a large towel slung over his shoulder.

He, for his part, could stay here for much longer-- but he knew Octavia, and how restless she got when she left her designated home. (He just hoped that one day-- well, best not to focus on that thought.)

[okteiviakom]

It took Octavia a few seconds to process that he'd spoken. She knew he'd been approaching, there was always a part of her that was unavoidably aware of that kind of thing no matter how relaxed she got, but...

Between the music and the faint waves, guess she'd been lost in thought a little.

"Hm?" she hummed, as she looked over. Then, half a second, and, "Oh. Yeah, in the daytime."

[my_own_advocate]

"It still adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the beach in the evening, I feel," Lucifer said easily. But he wasn't about to belabor the point. "Mind if I join you?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia shook her head just a tiny bit.

"I don't mind."

[my_own_advocate]

"All right."

It wasn't far, to get to her. He spread his towel on the sand and sat down on it. Stretching his legs.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia was silently holding out her little bowl of fruit bits as soon as he'd settled down.

Sharing felt like even more of a reflex, out here.

[my_own_advocate]

And Lucifer-- didn't even comment. He just reached and took some. "Thank you, darling."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia responded with a tiny nod.

Then she pulled her hand back and picked herself a few cubes, too.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke hadn’t worn a shirt in weeks — but even he was starting to feel a bit of wanderlust buzz at the back of his head. He wouldn’t complain about going home.

“Hey,” he greeted softly, grinning. “I know that song.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia looked up. She wasn't grinning, but he still drew a smile from her. Warm and genuine.

"Yeah?" she asked, just as softly. "Funny, so do I."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke went to sit down next to her.

"Having a good evening?"

[okteiviakom]

Octavia watched him move. She was going to miss the constant shirtlessness once they rejoined society, she thought - not because of the bare skin itself, but because there was something really him about it out here. An ease.

Oh, right. He'd asked a question.

She gave one of her tiny nods, and her lips curved a little further up on one side. "Even better now, jaka."

[betterthanaplan]

"Ooo, glad to hear it," Duke said, bumping his shoulder into hers.

He moved to rest his arm around her lower back and watched the water.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia scooted just the little bit closer that she needed to comfortably tilt her head to rest it against his shoulder.

She watched the water again, too. But she also hummed faintly along to the music.