The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Monday morning

[betterthanaplan]

Duke was on his deck, doing some final preparations for taking the Rouge up the coast. He'd left a message for Rey, but otherwise was deliberately not thinking about the various responsibilities he was leaving behind by heading to Haven right now.

He wasn't running. He wasn't. He was going to Haven to find out about his trouble. About how to control it so he didn't hurt anyone again. So he didn't hurt Octavia again.

That wasn't running, that was being responsible.

The fact that he'd been spending the last several days trying not to run had nothing to do with this decision. Right?

[open! Duke is heading off for a canon run until like Friday. His class will be covered, I promise!]

Comments

[thatwaslucky]

Rey had actually been out when she saw she had a message, so she decided to swing by to see if he was still around before replying. She'd been listening to radio, and that message on top of it...

"Wasn't sure you'd still be here," she greeted him.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke looked around his deck with a little nod. "Almost wasn't." He flashed her a small, wan smile. "Sorry about ditching yoga this week."

[thatwaslucky]

"We both need the occasional week off fir things," she said, not bothered. "Everything okay?"

[betterthanaplan]

“Nope.” He figured with radio — which he still couldn’t bring himself to listen to — it was pointless to pretend. “But hopefully I’ll get some answers on my trip.”

[thatwaslucky]

"Where are you headed, anyway?" she asked.

[betterthanaplan]

"Home." Duke looked down at the deck again. "Which might be a terrible idea. But if I'm going to learn about my trouble anywhere, it'll be there."

[thatwaslucky]

Rey frowned a little, because radio hadn't gone into much detail so that sounded a little out of left field. "You're going for that now?"

[betterthanaplan]

"I am." Duke nodded. "Octavia set it off the other day. And I almost killed her. So -- yeah. It's time."

[thatwaslucky]

"Oh. Yeah, that's time," she said, frowning for an entirely different reason now. "I guess asking if everyone's okay is a dumb question."

[betterthanaplan]

"Physically . . . apparently she has a concussion? She's staying with Lucifer. I haven't -- seen her since."

[thatwaslucky]

"Mind if I come aboard?" she asked after a pause.

Because she didn't want to get all up in his space but he should also know by now that a hug would be incoming if she could.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded and waved her over. He didn't open his arms or anything, but he certainly didn't do anything to discourage the incoming hug.

[thatwaslucky]

So Rey walked over without a word to envelop him in a hug, figuring it was pretty needed by now.

[betterthanaplan]

It was. Overdue, even, thought Duke hadn't learned how to actually ask for them yet. He wrapped his arms around her in return, faster than he would have just about anyone else, and spent a moment just hanging on.

"It's been a rough few days."

[thatwaslucky]

"I can imagine." She really could, which was why she wasn't letting go until he did. "Where are you at right now?"

[betterthanaplan]

Duke let out a slightly bitter laugh and pulled away. "Where am I at? Well. Going back to Haven for a few days is currently beating out staying here on my mental list of good ideas. So . . . yeah. You know things are kind of fucked when I'd rather deal with my ex than my current partner."

[thatwaslucky]

"I don't suppose you can just skip dealing with him," she tried.

[betterthanaplan]

"Pretty sure he's got some kind of alert set to go off if I get within about fifty miles of the place."

[thatwaslucky]

"I try to be hopeful about these things," she admitted.

[betterthanaplan]

"Hopeful and Haven don't really go together, in my experience." Duke snorted. "Which makes what I'm doing even dumber, probably. But -- I have to try."

[thatwaslucky]

"I get that," she said. "Trying's never dumb."

[betterthanaplan]

Duke figured that depended on what you were trying, but decided not to say so.

“I know you two aren’t exactly close, but.... Keep an eye out for her if you see her out and about?” He shook his head. “You probably won’t. I’m guessing she’ll keep hiding for awhile. But ... still. I think she needs to know people are still on her side.”

[thatwaslucky]

"Of course," she said, frowning again. Though she also didn't know the actual situation and she'd have a very different opinion on it if she did. "Do you have any idea how long you'll be home?"

[betterthanaplan]

Duke would say the full truth was extremely complicated. But he wouldn’t blame Rey for having an opinion on it.

“Not really. I’m guessing I’m not going to get, like, an extended master class on trouble-fu or anything though. I’m supposed to cater some thing of Lucifer’s this weekend, though, so. . . . Before that?”

[thatwaslucky]

She nodded. "Keep me updated?"

Was she worried about him getting arrested for stepping into town? Yes.

[betterthanaplan]

He wasn't not worried about that, himself.

"Will do." Duke pulled her in for another hug this time. "Try not to let Fandom implode while I'm gone."

[thatwaslucky]

"I won't make any promises but I'll do my best," Rey told him, hugging him back. "Good luck."

[betterthanaplan]

"Yeah. What'd you say? It's never dumb to try."

[thatwaslucky]

"Point," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek before pulling back. "Call if you need anything, too."

[betterthanaplan]

“I will,” Duke assured her, giving her one last squeeze. “Thanks.”