Haven, Maine, over the weekend
Jul. 25th, 2020 10:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
The last time Octavia had been to Haven, she'd gotten arrested and Gloria had had to go yell at the Chief of police.
The last time Duke had been to Haven, he'd gotten arrested and Gloria had had to go yell at the Chief of police.
They could both be forgiven for being a little nervous pulling into the harbor now, even without the "let's go meet our mutual therapist in person" part of the deal.
[for one! NFB due to distance]
The last time Duke had been to Haven, he'd gotten arrested and Gloria had had to go yell at the Chief of police.
They could both be forgiven for being a little nervous pulling into the harbor now, even without the "let's go meet our mutual therapist in person" part of the deal.
[for one! NFB due to distance]
Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 02:46 pm (UTC)Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 03:18 pm (UTC)Sometimes even if he'd gone back to Nathan.
It was odd to see the town come into view, now. There was a sense of recognition, but it was so faint if felt almost as if it was something she'd seen in a dream, like a deja-vu, like her brain misfiring.
It had been too long for her to realize that she was doing the same thing she'd done the first time they'd been sailing into this harbor together. Hovering by his shoulder, by his side, with her arm winding around his back, because no matter what awaited them... This was still their space.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 03:33 pm (UTC)Because he wasn't sure he was.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 03:37 pm (UTC)Because she was Like That.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 03:45 pm (UTC)Nathan was standing on the dock, his arms folded over his chest.
"I gotta start paying Beattie off or something."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 03:52 pm (UTC)Her voice dropped into a deep, unimpressed drawl. "Chit yu vout in disha nomonjoka gaf, hmh?"
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 04:02 pm (UTC)Agent Parker, FBI, should've been long gone. Unless they had an interest in the troubles.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 04:05 pm (UTC)Octavia. Octavia, sounding like you were ready to deck her too if it came to that was unnecessary.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 04:20 pm (UTC)You know, except for the part where she looked exactly like a woman Duke had known when he was eight.
He stepped away from Octavia to go tie the Rouge down, keeping a sharp eye on Nathan and Audrey the whole time.
"Can I help you with something, Officer? Agent?"
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 04:41 pm (UTC)5'4" of queenly judgment.
(It was in everyone's best interest that Duke had already called out to the people on the dock. Otherwise she might have opened with "Go float yourself, Nathan.")
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 04:48 pm (UTC)"Nefarious." Duke shook his head. "Nefarious, Nathan?"
Nathan just lifted his chin and stared back.
Duke had a thing for a good silent poker face, yes.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 05:00 pm (UTC)No, she didn't even bother glancing at Nathan. She knew without looking that he was most likely staring at Duke.
"-- is grounds for not letting someone in town, you can go."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 05:09 pm (UTC)"Mr. Crocker," Nathan said dryly. "Your vessel has been randomly selected for a security search."
"Really." Duke raised an eyebrow at Audrey. "You're going to let him get away with that? This is clearly harassment."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 05:13 pm (UTC)She did shift calmly and quietly in that direction, though. Just a bit.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 05:23 pm (UTC)Audrey noted the shift and raised an eyebrow. Her amusement didn't falter.
"I don't know, Duke. I'm still new at this whole small town cop thing."
"You handled the cats just fine," Nathan said blandly.
"I did, didn't I."
"That sounds like a story," Duke said. "You two should go talk about it. Somewhere else."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 05:27 pm (UTC)Waiting.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 05:30 pm (UTC)"So," Duke said, once it was clear that they wouldn't be leaving. "You're working with Nathan now, huh?"
"I am," Audrey said. "You have a problem with that?"
"Me? No." He looked at Nathan. "Does she know all about your . . . thing?"
Nathan's face went, somehow, even stonier. Audrey looked between them, getting more and more amused.
"Yeah, Nathan," she said. "Do I know all about your 'thing'?"
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 05:50 pm (UTC)Specifically, she was watching Audrey, now. Not in an intense way, just... taking note of several things about how she carried herself, how she was reacting to this.
Getting to know this stranger, in her own way.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 06:04 pm (UTC)Before Nathan could respond to her question, his radio crackled to life.
"Nathan, are you there, hon?"
Nathan growled, then pulled the radio off his belt. "Go ahead, Laverne."
"Got a call about a disturbance up at the Freddy."
"We're on our way." Nathan set the radio back on his belt. "We're not done, Duke."
"Looking forward to it." Duke wiggled his fingers at him. "Byyyye."
Nathan gestured Audrey back towards his car with a jerk of his head and headed off. Audrey shot Octavia a smile. "It was nice to meet you, Ms. . . ?"
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 06:09 pm (UTC)She was pretty sure she remembered the records did not actually have her down as Octavia Blake.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 06:32 pm (UTC)Audrey shot an amused eyebrow at Duke again and nodded. "I'll do that." She headed after Nathan. "What's a Freddy?!"
Duke sagged a little once they were gone and rubbed his hand over his hair. "She stuck around." He shook his head. "I can't believe we managed not to get boarded."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 06:37 pm (UTC)"Maybe this trip will go better," she said with a little sigh.
She didn't believe it.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 06:52 pm (UTC)Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 07:03 pm (UTC)"A friendly face could be nice."
Even though it kind of terrified her. Hostile was easier than nice, sometimes.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 07:22 pm (UTC)Duke made sure the Bronco was nowhere to be seen, then headed down the gangplank, making a quick call.
"She said she'll meet us here. Maybe we can do lunch somewhere."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 07:38 pm (UTC)And then shook her head, but that was clearly for a different thought. She'd been looking around while he'd been on the phone, and... "It's so weird to be back here."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 07:41 pm (UTC)Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 07:49 pm (UTC)All so that she could reach for his hand. "Well, at least your last visit was only a little while ago."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 08:08 pm (UTC)Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 08:24 pm (UTC)She was looking toward the car, though, and then already taking her first tentative steps towards it.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 10:00 pm (UTC)Duke stayed where he was, hands slipped into his pockets, and smiled at Gloria. "Hey, old bird."
"Boy, I oughta smack you."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 10:13 pm (UTC)... God, she was staring, wasn't she?
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 10:52 pm (UTC)Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 10:58 pm (UTC)But then she did, stepping up to Gloria and practically throwing her arms around her. Not tight enough to hurt but - surprisingly tight, all the same.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:00 pm (UTC)Duke ducked his head, turning slightly away and rubbing his head as he tried to hide his relief. Gloria eyed him.
"You're next, kitten. Don't think you're not."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:07 pm (UTC)And a little wet, though she'd pretend it wasn't.
It'd take her a moment to pull herself together.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:09 pm (UTC)"You missed Nathan," Duke said.
"And neither of you got arrested by him this time? Good job."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:14 pm (UTC)Yeah, she was not interested in even pretending that risking arrest hadn't been on the table.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:23 pm (UTC)"They called away before they could try," Duke said. "Something going on up at the Freddy."
Gloria sighed. "That'll be a trouble, then. Maybe it'll be nice and stay contained up there."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:26 pm (UTC)And stubbornly refused to wipe at her eyes, even as she felt like she should have.
"What's the Freddy?"
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:32 pm (UTC)Gloria reached up to smack him on the head, then dragged him into a hug. "Would I do that to you? The Freddy's in-patient only. Claire's got her own office not far from the station."
Duke hugged her back almost as firmly as Octavia had. "Good. Audrey seems like good enough people, but I'd really rather not have another run-in with Nathan if I can help it."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-25 11:38 pm (UTC)"Agreed."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-26 04:50 am (UTC)"Second Chance?" Gloria suggested. "They're opening in just a couple weeks, I'm sure Geoff would love to have you come by and make fun of pigeons."
Duke tilted his head at Octavia. "What do you think? It's pretty much guaranteed to only be us."
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-26 08:43 am (UTC)Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-26 02:31 pm (UTC)“Kitten, you’re babbling.”
Duke sighed. “I do that, yeah.”
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-26 02:49 pm (UTC)Because she didn't mind the babbling.
Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-26 02:55 pm (UTC)Re: Arrival
Date: 2020-07-26 03:04 pm (UTC)A private space and Duke's actual friends sounded perfect for right now.
Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-25 02:47 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 02:57 pm (UTC)And that none of her other troubled clients were anywhere around to see her welcoming Duke Crocker.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 03:27 pm (UTC)But she wasn't glued to Duke's side the way she probably would have been if they'd done this seven years ago. Her coping methods were slightly different now, and they involved projecting a sense of unflappable confidence with every step she took.
How well that would work on a woman who'd heard her lock down more and more over the course of an hour (well, probably less) on the phone earlier this week, though...
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 03:40 pm (UTC)Claire didn't smile. From what she knew of Octavia so far, a smile wouldn't be calming or reassuring. Instead she nodded to her, giving her a firm, assessing look.
"You must be Octavia."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 04:01 pm (UTC)"Yeah, and you're Claire," she rasped. Since they were pointing out the obvious. "Hi."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 04:11 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 04:35 pm (UTC)But then she paused.
And took a second to remind herself why she was here in the first place. Because she wanted to get better, because she needed to get better, and for once it didn't matter that she couldn't tell the difference between those two things. And for any of that to happen, she would have to strip at least one protective layer off herself.
Still couldn't help the vaguely dismissive shrug as she went to take a seat.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 04:59 pm (UTC)"Thank you," she said, and glanced up at Duke. "Do you two want to chat together, or. . . ?"
Duke shrugged, looking at Octavia. "Up to her. I can wait out here, no problem."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 05:16 pm (UTC)"Ai na dula dison op soulou, jaka."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 05:30 pm (UTC)Claire waited for him to close the door, then turned to Octavia again. "You two have a secret language?"
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 05:47 pm (UTC)Which technically made that a 'yes'. (And also, it really wasn't that simple.)
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 06:03 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 06:05 pm (UTC)It'd take a while before Octavia would start elaborating on anything without prompting, probably.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 06:26 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 06:30 pm (UTC)Because apparently the Devil spoke all human languages.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 06:34 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 06:42 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 06:51 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:01 pm (UTC)She really wouldn't know, she hadn't had use for one.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:04 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:07 pm (UTC)"Shared, yes. Not a secret."
Welcome to Octavia's occasional habit of getting hung up on terminology, Claire.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:20 pm (UTC)Welcome to someone calmly and coolly asking you to explain that habit, Octavia.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:27 pm (UTC)She may have still seemed a little reluctant to talk, but... This was already much more than she'd managed to say on the phone.
Turned out actually seeing the person she was talking to was important for her.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:40 pm (UTC)"How did you and Duke meet?"
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:52 pm (UTC)She'd seen enough movies in this time to know that wasn't a particularly remarkable start to a relationship.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:55 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 07:58 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 08:01 pm (UTC)". . . So something of a culture shock, then."
To say the least.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 08:05 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 08:11 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 08:22 pm (UTC)She could guess the next question. But she would let it come to her, instead of rushing to it.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 08:39 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 09:06 pm (UTC)Octavia looked off to the side, although aside from that, nothing about her demeanor changed. It was mild, like it had been.
"Don't know if Duke told you, but I was born on a space station. The Ark, where having more than one kid was illegal. And I had a big brother." Have. Had. Both worked in this context. And otherwise, too. "At sixteen, I was discovered. My mom was floated into space, my brother was demoted from a guard to a janitor, and I was thrown in prison."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 09:18 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 09:22 pm (UTC)General 'you', obviously.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 09:25 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 09:36 pm (UTC)Octavia's tone was so mild and flat that someone might've mistaken it for bored.
"And since the Ark executed all its adult criminals, all they had as far as expendable people went were the juvenile delinquents. So they packed a hundred of us in a dropship, and sent us down to the Ground."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 09:55 pm (UTC)Sorry, were psychiatrists supposed to be detached and neutral? Claire had never been good at that.
"That is deeply screwed up, I'm sorry. You need so much therapy."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 09:59 pm (UTC)The implication was that there would be much worse stuff coming up later. Yes.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 10:37 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 10:44 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 10:55 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 10:57 pm (UTC)It was going a lot better. She hadn't fallen into a lengthy, stony silence even once!
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 11:46 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 11:49 pm (UTC)She would generally claim she wasn't at all paranoid, actually, but a recent conversation with Lucifer had left her kind of questioning that.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 11:51 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-26 11:55 pm (UTC)Her relationship with tech was wonky, even without getting into her knowing when anything became widespread.
"Seems like an obvious solution."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 12:05 am (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 12:09 am (UTC)Actually having met her now probably helped, too.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 12:39 am (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 12:51 am (UTC)She definitely did, though.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 01:09 am (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:14 am (UTC)"Better get used to it."
Didn't really reach her eyes, though.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 03:12 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 03:36 pm (UTC)"I'd call it just an expression."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 03:45 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:17 pm (UTC)Letting anyone poke around her thoughts was bad enough.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:24 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:26 pm (UTC)Hence the need for this meeting and the possibility of video calls in the future.
"But I don't tell them I'm watching them for that."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:27 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:28 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:30 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 09:39 pm (UTC)"So. Video calls."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 10:11 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 10:26 pm (UTC)Then she said, "Okay." It was mild, utterly neutral - and still a good thing. She followed it up with a nod that was oddly stern. (Calling up shades of Blodreina.) "This was useful."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-27 10:43 pm (UTC)Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-28 08:06 am (UTC)That was both a very casual and a very definite way of saying Octavia was about to hit her limit on this kind of interaction.
Then she rose from her seat.
"I'll tell Duke to come in."
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-28 02:47 pm (UTC)Duke looked up when the door opened. "All set?"
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-28 05:37 pm (UTC)"Dison nou bilaik branwoda."
Glowing praise.
Re: Meeting Claire
Date: 2020-07-28 05:48 pm (UTC)Claire shrugged. "It's what I do."
BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-25 02:47 pm (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:24 pm (UTC)If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend he'd really gone back in time. Not just ten years to Haven in 2010, but a year in his own timeline, back to a time before Fandom, when he was still just a two-bit smuggler, moving art and booze and unmarked crates around for cash.
He didn't miss it, not really. The life of a roving vagabond had been good to him, but so had Fandom, all told. He had real friends again, not just people who'd hear him out before they tried to shoot him. He had work that he enjoyed, instead of just something he'd fallen into because being a criminal put fuel in his tanks and food on the table. He had Octavia.
He didn't want to go back. But it was nice to pretend, for just a minute.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:30 pm (UTC)And it was all Duke's fault.
Everything was Duke's fault. Every terrible thing that had happened in Nathan's life. The last body Nathan had felt against his own had been Duke's and then he'd taken it all away, for some stupid smuggling scheme.
And here Duke was, on his stupid rust-bucket of a boat, flaunting his stupid perfect body and his ability to feel things like he'd never done anything wrong.
Nathan couldn't stand it.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:32 pm (UTC)Well. Not on Nathan, anyway. It reminded Duke painfully of the look on Octavia's face, just before she plastered her blood all over Duke's cheeks.
". . . You might want to consider switching to decaf, buddy."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:33 pm (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:36 pm (UTC)That was almost . . . reasonable. Maybe the trouble hunt had gone badly, and Nathan needed a friend?
"Feels good," he said cautiously. He wanted to grab Nathan by the arms and force him to sit. He wanted to fix him, so he stayed rooted where he was. Waiting to see what happened next.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:38 pm (UTC)The statue was a liar. Just like Duke. He hated it, just like Duke.
He smashed it into the deck and listened to it shatter.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:38 pm (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:41 pm (UTC)He picked up the empty crate the statue had been in and threw it at Duke's head.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:43 pm (UTC)He didn't remind him of Octavia anymore, at least. No, this was pure Nathan. Just . . . turned up to eleven.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:49 pm (UTC)He threw another punch, but this time Duke dodged, and Nathan's fist went through the side of another crate. This was what Duke did: he ruined everything, but he dodged. He ducked and weaved and everything just slid off him. And then he left.
He never had to stay and live with the consequences of what he did.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:52 pm (UTC)He swallowed down on the urge to tackle Nathan. To grab that hand and soak the blood in and just end all of this, once and for all.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:54 pm (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 04:56 pm (UTC)Whatever had gotten into Nathan, it had given him a hell of a boost in the strength department. Duke hit the wall like he'd been hit by Nathan's truck, his head rebounding against the metal, making him see stars.
By the time his sight cleared again, Nathan's hands were wrapped around his neck.
Apparently Nathan hadn't managed to cut himself after all. If he had, Duke might've stood a chance.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 05:12 pm (UTC)She wasn't surprised it was Nathan. Of course it was Nathan, but it didn't really matter because the only thing that did were the hands around Duke's neck.
As she rushed them, she went to grab the nearest convenient object - a board that had come loose from one of the crates - fully intending to whack Nathan in the back of the head with it.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 05:26 pm (UTC)Duke's eyes and mouth went wide as he struggled to breathe in Nathan's grip.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 06:02 pm (UTC)The board fell apart like it was nothing.
But maybe kicking him in the back of the knee while screaming "Get your hands off him!" would do something? Even if that something was only drawing his focus to her instead.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 06:25 pm (UTC)Duke swung blindly at that, fingers poised to rake across Nathan's cheeks. Luckily for all of them, before he could accidentally make Nathan bleed, there was the pop of a taser and Nathan jerked stiffly before collapsing into Duke.
Audrey lowered her taser and hurried forward.
"Sorry I had to do that, Nathan. Are you okay?"
Duke dropped Nathan and sagged against the wall. "Yeah, I'm fine." He wasn't, but he wasn't about to tell an FBI agent that his head was spinning and there were spots slowly clearing from his vision.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 06:41 pm (UTC)After she'd determined he didn't have any serious visible injuries, at least, she turned towards Audrey and snapped, "What the fuck was that?"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 06:49 pm (UTC)"Nothing," Nathan muttered into the deck where he lay. "Felt nothing."
"I need you two to keep him here," Audrey said.
"Uh, no," Duke said.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 06:54 pm (UTC)And don't think she didn't notice the lack of an actual answer, either, Audrey!
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 06:59 pm (UTC)"He's been sick," Duke said. "Right now he's homicidal."
"It's not his fault," Audrey said again. "Something -- something just happened to him."
"Is he contagious?" Duke asked, eyeing Nathan's red and swollen face. Audrey glared at him. "I'm just asking!"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 07:03 pm (UTC)Octavia really missed Wonkru, all of a sudden. At least they'd been obligated to give her straight answers, most of the time.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 07:09 pm (UTC)"This is a trouble, isn't it," Duke said. "Whatever was going on at the Freddy got him, too. We can't be crazy right now, Audrey!"
"I don't know if he's contagious," Audrey said with a sigh. "But I do know someone who is. Which is why I have to go find her, which I can't do dragging Nathan around." She looked between the two of them. "Nathan's talked a lot about you two. This is where you both prove him wrong, right?"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 07:18 pm (UTC)She was just making an extremely unimpressed face. At least by her own standards.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 07:22 pm (UTC)There was just one problem with that.
"This is a bad idea, Audrey," he hissed, voice low.
"Tie him up," Audrey suggested. "He's not going to hurt you again."
"I'm not worried about him hurting me."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 07:29 pm (UTC)She had no need to prove anyone anything. Not here.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 07:42 pm (UTC)"Call Dwight!" Duke suggested. "He's built like a brick wall, let him wrangle the superstrength with a side of crazy!"
". . . Who's Dwight?"
Duke threw his hands in the air. "Why can't anyone tell anyone anything around here?!"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 07:55 pm (UTC)Not that she was saying that out loud.
"Makes you miss Fandom, doesn't it."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 08:00 pm (UTC)"Are we good?" Audrey asked, already heading for the dock again. "The trouble should wear off . . . eventually. Dr. Lucassi was back to normal after maybe an hour. I've gotta go."
Duke looked down at Nathan with a groan. "You owe me, Parker."
"Yup!" Audrey called back to him.
"For this and for saving your life!"
"You're the best, Duke!"
And goddammit, if hearing that didn't make part of Duke's poor, neglected heart sing.
He shut his eyes and rubbed his nose. "Right. I'll go get some chain."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 08:04 pm (UTC)She did not sound like she approved of how this had gone, nope.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 08:10 pm (UTC)"This is bizarre," Duke said. "He's going to hurt himself."
"Will not," Nathan muttered. "Can't feel it."
"Well aren't you just special, Nate."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 08:21 pm (UTC)In case anything happened.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 08:37 pm (UTC)"Nothing hurts you, does it, Nathan. Even when you try."
"At least I'm not a parasite," Nathan shot back, wild grin on his face. "Like you." He started laughing, loud and full-throated, like he couldn't stop.
Duke laughed along, humoring him. "That's a good one."
Nathan flung himself against the chains again, panting. "Just using people. . . ." He laughed, bouncing in place. "Like you always do. Plan on using Audrey, too?"
Duke took a deep breath through his nose, reminding himself not to rise to Nathan's level.
Nathan kept laughing. "Of course you are. Of course you are, that's what you do! You and your little whore --"
He cut off when Duke's fist collided with his face.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:01 pm (UTC)Otherwise, her heart would have been aching for Duke.
Nathan's little jab at her, however, would probably not have gotten to her even if she hadn't been keeping a tight rein on her emotions. She'd been called much worse, by people who mattered much more.
But that didn't mean seeing the punch happen wasn't satisfying.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:10 pm (UTC)The trouble being, Nathan didn't even feel it. That and that punching a guy in the face was a great way to get their blood on you.
Nathan spit and laughed. "Can't hurt me, remember?"
Duke lurched to his feet, eyes glued to his hand and the specks of blood absorbing into his skin. He spun, not wanting Nathan to see. Not wanting to see Nathan, tied down and helpless and so goddamn infuriating, just asking to be ended.
Nathan didn't have any family. Other than the Chief, who'd never shown any signs of his trouble. Killing him wouldn't do anything but put blood on Duke's hands, metaphorically and literally. Duke grit his teeth and wrapped his arms around himself as he staggered down the dock.
Maybe throwing himself into the water would help keep this damn trouble under control.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:16 pm (UTC)And seeing Duke react like that, well, it was something she recognized.
She was on her feet instantly, but didn't move. Just -- watched, but now with a heavy weight inside her, a squirming thing of worry.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:23 pm (UTC)Duke ignored him. He made it to the end of the docks and sat abruptly, feet dangling over the edge as he curled in on himself and tried to breathe through the rush. The boards of the dock cracked under his fingers. If he had to get up right now, he'd take chunks of them with him.
Slowly, the rush subsided. And Duke was left with just his bruised throat and aching head, and Nathan screaming and taunting him from the other end of the dock.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:32 pm (UTC)More or less, anyway.
"Shut up," she told Nathan, cold and assertive - and one hundred percent sure it wouldn't do anything.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:42 pm (UTC)Duke shivered faintly -- he was still shirtless -- and tilted his head into the sun, his eyes closed. He wondered if he'd ever be able to come back here without running headfirst into his trouble and his and Nathan's past.
He wished he could pretend that meant he wouldn't keep coming back here.
He slowly stood and made his way back over, head still down, hand wrapped around the back of his neck. "So. Naturally, Nathan goes nuts and his first instinct is to come try to kill me."
"'Cause you're a prick," Nathan spat.
"Yes, thank you." Duke waved him off and looked at Octavia. "What do you suppose everyone else in Haven would do if they lost their minds? Maybe we should be on the look out for more attackers."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:52 pm (UTC)But she knew he wasn't, even without asking. So instead, she cast a glance around. "Maybe," she said. "Though I feel like if we were about to get swarmed, it would've started happening already."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 09:59 pm (UTC)"Audrey likes the strange stuff," Nathan said. "Must be why she seems to like you."
"Jealous, Nathan?" Duke asked.
Nathan hissed wetly through his teeth.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:02 pm (UTC)"I shouldn't hit him until he shuts up."
Not a question. She was just telling herself that.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:11 pm (UTC)Nathan stared at her with a strange grin on his face, still rocking against the chains.
"What did he promise you?" he asked. "Did he say he loves you? He doesn't know what that word even means."
"I'm not opposed to gagging him, though."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:14 pm (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:20 pm (UTC)He didn't like leaving Octavia with Nathan alone. But he also needed to be away from Nathan's goading words and -- more importantly -- the blood still slowly dripping down his chin.
Thrown into a wall. Choked. Blood running down a chin. His trouble going off.
This was all just -- a lot to deal with.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:24 pm (UTC)(This time.)
She watched Duke walk away, and then locked everything down again, crossing her arms.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:36 pm (UTC)[I'M NOT SORRY]
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:44 pm (UTC)"And don't you forget it."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 10:57 pm (UTC)"I see you two are bonding." He held the rag out to Octavia. "Do the honors?"
"You're going to eat him alive," Nathan said, panting through his teeth again. "Good."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 11:11 pm (UTC)But now she grabbed the rag, and yanked Nathan's head back, and stuffed the rag in his mouth with very little care for anything except shutting him up and not actually suffocating him in the process.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 11:15 pm (UTC)"Audrey owes us so much for this one," said Duke.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 11:17 pm (UTC)"As soon as this is done, can we just... go?"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 11:36 pm (UTC)He'd be back in a couple weeks for Bill and Geoff's opening, but he wasn't going to drag Octavia along with him if she didn't want to deal with all of this again.
The flush drained out of Nathan's face and he stopped rocking, blinking and shaking his head like a dog shaking off some water. He looked up at Duke, then around, frown deepening with every moment.
"Well. At least that didn't take a whole hour."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 11:45 pm (UTC)"Are you back?" she asked. She didn't want the gag to be removed only for him to start spewing more goading.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 11:49 pm (UTC)"You got hit by a trouble," Duke told him. "We're your babysitters."
Nathan's response to that was still muffled, but pretty easy to translate anyway.
"Yeah. Same to you, buddy."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-26 11:53 pm (UTC)"You realize you're not getting free until you play nice, right?"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 12:03 am (UTC)Nathan muttered into the gag again and went relatively limp, clearly doing his best to 'play nice'.
"Better ungag him at least," Duke said with a sigh. "I need Audrey's number so I can tell her to come fetch."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 12:07 am (UTC)So she removed the rag, yes.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 12:37 am (UTC)Duke rolled his eyes. "Does it look like we have that information, Nathan? She wasn't exactly long on details."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 12:48 am (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 01:08 am (UTC)"What did I do?"
Duke shrugged. "Threw punches, called me names. The usual."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 09:35 am (UTC)It was probably the nicest thing she was likely to say to Nathan in a long time.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 03:22 pm (UTC)Nathan scowled. "Unchain me. I'll call her myself."
"Nope. Not letting you go until the lady with the taser is back. What's her number?"
"Audrey tased me?"
"Yeah, see, you didn't stop choking me when Octavia smashed a board over your head, so I'm just going to play it safe."
"I choked --" Nathan cut off with a long, deep sigh. "Mr. Crocker. I encourage you to file a complaint and press charges."
Duke dropped his head with a sigh of his own. "Not my style, Nathan."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 03:34 pm (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 03:40 pm (UTC)"Audrey. Hey. Sleeping Beauty woke up. Please come get him so Octavia and I can move on with our lives."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 04:46 pm (UTC)Nathan wasn't getting any more of her attention than he absolutely had to get.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 04:54 pm (UTC)Nathan shot him a suspicious glare.
"Because I'm a concerned citizen, Audrey. And this trouble tried to kill me, so I'd like to know if I need to be looking over my shoulder."
And if someone might come along wanting him to kill to stop it.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 09:19 pm (UTC)It didn't sound like this was over for them just yet.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 09:26 pm (UTC)This was what you got when you dated a compulsive fixer.
"I'll take you there. We can leave Nathan chained to the docks, I'm sure he'll be fine." He grinned at Audrey's response. "Ugh, fine. If you insist. But if he attacks again. . . ."
He was enjoying teasing Audrey. Which made for two cops now whose presence he might actually enjoy.
What was even happening to him?
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 09:32 pm (UTC)Instead, she moved to see about unchaining Nathan. Since that was apparently happening.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 09:37 pm (UTC)Nathan hmphed, straightening carefully once the chains were off, and warily eyeing Octavia.
"Did you really hit me with a plank?"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 09:41 pm (UTC)Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 10:13 pm (UTC)"Jesus, Nathan." Duke rolled his eyes. "We get it. You don't feel anything. It sucks. Move on."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 10:22 pm (UTC)Instead, she looked up at Duke again. "So Audrey's coming to meet us?"
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-27 10:39 pm (UTC)"Lilly?" Nathan asked. Duke shrugged.
"I don't know, maybe?"
Nathan shook his head. "I don't know. That doesn't sound right."
Duke snorted. "Man, last time I talked to you, you didn't even think the troubles were a thing."
"Last time you talked to me, you were cuffed to an interview table."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-28 08:03 am (UTC)"Do we have to reminisce right now?" she drawled.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-28 02:45 pm (UTC)Seriously, why did Duke have a thing for stoic, withholding people?
Fortunately, Audrey was coming down the dock again. "Everyone still in one piece?"
"Not for lack of trying," Duke said. "Our resident trouble wrangler here says he doesn't think it's Lilly."
"We saw it on the security tapes at the Freddy," Audrey said. "She played the piano, and everyone changed." She frowned at Nathan. "And you said she was playing at the Scupper."
"She was. But I didn't -- go blank until Ray started."
"Ray?" Audrey was already turning to rush back down the dock, Nathan hot on her heels. "We have to find that boat."
Duke watched her go and glanced at Octavia. "You can stay here, if you want. Haven's troubles aren't your problem."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-28 05:39 pm (UTC)Did that mean she was eager to join Audrey and Nathan.anyway, though? Not exactly.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-28 05:50 pm (UTC)What Nathan had managed to goad Duke into doing.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-28 06:00 pm (UTC)She did have a well-established track record of running towards danger, after all.
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-28 06:48 pm (UTC)"Alright. Just . . . wanted to make sure."
"Are you two coming?" Audrey shouted from her car.
"Be right there, Officer Agent Parker!" Duke called back, getting a snort from her. He offered Octavia his hand. "Let's go solve a trouble."
Re: BUT THEN!
Date: 2020-07-28 07:09 pm (UTC)(Sorry, Nathan and Audrey.)
She took his hand, but only to give it a quick squeeze. Then she let it go, and strode towards the car.
Time to solve a trouble.
Anything else?
Date: 2020-07-25 02:48 pm (UTC)OOC
Date: 2020-07-25 02:50 pm (UTC)