Deck of the Cape Rouge to Elsewhere, Thursday Morning

[my_own_advocate]

Yesterday had not been good.

And now, a day later, they were still holed up within the bowels of the Cape Rouge. But Lucifer-- well, Lucifer needed some air.

He unlocked the door carefully, and stuck his head outside. No strange women so far...

[[ for two plus one ]]

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[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer stared at him.

"Do you have any idea how long you were under there?!"

... No. He was fine. He was chill. He was taking this all in stride!!!

[betterthanaplan]

"I can hold my breath for like . . . four minutes without much prep," Duke said. "So . . . less than that."

[my_own_advocate]

"Most humans can't do that!"

Totally. Chill.

"And you're being weird!"

The apex of relaxed about all this!

[okteiviakom]

Octavia... had no comment, even though their voices definitely carried.

She looked back towards the boat, then down at her outfit again.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke sighed, looking back out to sea, than swam back towards the beach.

“I am not. I’m swimming.”

[my_own_advocate]

"Yes, well," Lucifer said, and immediately deflated. "You don't have to do-- that. Just don't do--" He waved at the part of the beach Duke had spent his four minutes in, "...that. Octavia and I would like to breathe."

[okteiviakom]

"I would like to find some other clothes," Octavia muttered. To herself.

They probably couldn't hear her like that, anyway.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke sighed. "You guys don't need to -- hover."

[my_own_advocate]

"You just suddenly ran off into the ocean and then vanished under water for four minutes," Lucifer retorted, frazzled. "I'd apologize for being terrified, but that would be lying."

[okteiviakom]

Back on the beach, Octavia slowly got on her feet again, brushing sand off her knees.

[betterthanaplan]

Okay. That was a reasonable point.

“I just . . . really missed the water.”

[my_own_advocate]

"And you're welcome to keep swimming, we're glad," Lucifer said, with a few jerky gestures born mostly of the panic ebbing away. "Just don't scare us like that."

[okteiviakom]

The sarong was coming off.

If only so Octavia could tie it back on herself, but higher. Covering up more of her skin.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke watched her, then grimaced. He started heading in towards the sand again.

"Moment's kind of . . . gone."

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer sighed. "Well, we should go to the Fin and Tonic and get some decent clothes, I suppose."

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had already fixed her clothing situation. Mostly.

Not really.

Whatever. She was just staring down into the water, now.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke started towards the boat, his shoulders hunching as he went.

He was now extremely self-conscious about wanting to just float beneath the water. It'd probably be a little while before it could become a proper escape for him again.

[my_own_advocate]

Well, that was utterly the opposite of what Lucifer wanted.

He sighed, hurrying after Duke. Feeling like he should apologize.

[okteiviakom]

With her chin still down, Octavia watched them through her lashes, quietly.

Maybe in a second she would actually move, too.

[betterthanaplan]

Someday, maybe the three of them would stop knocking into each other so much.

For now…. Duke hopped onto the Fin & Tonic and immediately went to how sit on the stern and drag his feet through the water.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer stepped on board, and--

"I'm sorry for ruining your swim," he called. And then he squirreled quickly indoors before he messed up Duke's whatever-he-needed even worse.

[okteiviakom]

The fact that they'd split up like that actually made it less of an enticing prospect for Octavia to actually follow them to the boat.

She moved, though.

Eventually, and slowly.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke leaned his elbows on his knees and stared out across the water.

He appreciated the apology. He really did. And he didn't hold being worried against either of them.

But he still felt . . . trapped. He was in paradise, a stretch of beautiful sea in front of him. And he felt trapped.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia had been at home, yesterday, and she'd felt trapped, too. So... Nowhere was safe.

She watched him, from afar, for a moment. Then she climbed on board.

And she made it over to where she could sit down next to him.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke looked up at her. "I'm sorry I scared you guys."