The Cape Rouge, Sunday Evening

[my_own_advocate]

It had been a restful few weeks in Chile, but all things had to come to an end - at least for now. And so, blissfully unaware of any children running around, Lucifer, Octavia and Duke returned to the island.

Lucifer ambled up along the dock, bearing his luggage-- and then came to a stop, blinking up at the Rouge.

"Did I order a hundred kilos worth of candy?" he said, gesturing to the massive pile on the deck. "Or is the island developing a sweet tooth?"

[[ open. expecting them who live here ]]

Comments

[betterthanaplan]

"That's usually in the spring," Duke agreed. ". . . This might be, like . . . if we'd come back earlier Tavi and I would be eight."

He had strong memories of being at the top of one of the masts waving a plastic sword.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia also had some very bittersweet childhood memories of freedom on the island. But that wasn't really what she was thinking about right now.

(There were other kinds of blade she found herself thinking back to.)

"Yeah, probably," she muttered, looking at the candy in her hand.

[my_own_advocate]

"Suppose we missed that one this year," Lucifer said, turning 'round to look at Octavia. "Can't say I'm terribly sad."

[betterthanaplan]

"I appreciate not thinking everyone's trying to recruit me into a cult."

He'd been a weird kid.

[okteiviakom]

He'd been a kid with a very specific background and past.

Octavia shoved the candy in her pocket. "Lucifer's just glad he doesn't have to babysit," she said, instead of saying anything about what she'd been thinking about.

[my_own_advocate]

"I will admit that does play a role," Lucifer agreed, fishing some candy off of a crate. "Though I'd like to think I would have survived it."

[betterthanaplan]

“Of course you would have,” Duke said. He’d found more toy weapons and was now swinging a foam axe around. “And then teased us about our younger selves for ages.”

[okteiviakom]

"Something like that, anyway," Octavia said, faintly. She gave the pile of candy and toys a little nudge. "What are we going to do about all this?"

[my_own_advocate]

"Gather up what we want to keep and eat it for a month?"

[betterthanaplan]

“That’s a hell of a sugar high,” Duke said with a snort. He flipped the plastic axe from hand to hand. “Guess we should make sure nothing else has been . . . changed.”

[okteiviakom]

Octavia looked up at him. "What else would?"

[my_own_advocate]

"The island's likely turned all of his guns into toys," Lucifer mused, popping another piece of candy into his mouth.

[betterthanaplan]

“I don’t like the idea that it messed with my ship,” Duke muttered, setting the axe aside and heading for the hatch leading below-deck.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia glanced up at Lucifer. They should follow, right?

She moved to do just that.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer gave her an easy shrug, and promptly followed suit. "I'm sure it's fine," he called.

[betterthanaplan]

“And I’m double checking,” Duke called back.

He started digging through the galley.

Every one of his hidden weapons was now a toy.

[okteiviakom]

"They'll all be back eventually," Octavia offered, landing in the galley, watching him.

[my_own_advocate]

"And it's unlikely you'll have to shoot anyone today," Lucifer added.

[betterthanaplan]

“Yeah,” Duke said, not quite absent, not quite angry. “I know.”

But the island had messed with his boat.

[okteiviakom]

Octavia stepped closer, to gently put her hand against his lower back. Something solid.

"I know it doesn't help," she murmured.

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer sighed, watching them both. "At least it's doubtful it's done anything else."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke startled slightly at the touch, then flicked her a wan, but grateful smile.

"Yeah," he told Lucifer again. "I know."

He was still going to need to check before he relaxed again, though.

[okteiviakom]

The only thing holding Octavia back from just sliding her arms around him was that she suspected he wasn't done inspecting the Rouge.

So, just the hand it was.

She said nothing.

[my_own_advocate]

"Well, do what you need to do, I suppose," Lucifer said, when he realized the silence was... ongoing.

[betterthanaplan]

At some point, the fact that Octavia wasn't entirely comfortable away from the island and Duke was increasingly uncomfortable on it was going to become a Thing.

For now, he was just glad that neither of them was making him have to explain.

Lucifer got a wan and grateful smile of his own before Duke started sorting through the cabinets.

". . . I found more candy."