betterthanaplan | The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Christmas Eve

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The Cape Rouge, Port of Fandom, Christmas Eve

As a rule, he didn't tend to do much for the winter holidays -- unless you counted "go somewhere it's not winter" -- but some combination of Fandom's festivities and the cold weather had actually put him into something of a Christmas-y mood this year, so the Rouge's deck was -- well. Decked. There were string lights and garlands all over the open deck area, especially around the table holding the big thermos of hot, buttered rum. He'd set up a little fire pit on the metal cargo-bay doors, and the door to the galley and lounge below-decks was propped open with a now-dormant loaf of yesterday's fruitcake, in case people preferred to go in where it was warmer.

As discussed, Duke had only mentioned the party to a few people since planning it with Rey. It was Christmas, though, so if people decided to wander up and say hi, he wouldn't turn them away.

[up early and ready for all the slowplay. A few people in the know expected, but as it says in the narrative, it's open for wandering in if you want, too!]

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"It's alright," Duke told her. "It's good to try new things."

"Oh, no, it's just sweet of you to assume I haven't already been scheming."

Sure.

"Well, if you have you've either been very good at it or very bad."

Octavia snorted. "I'll never tell."

But, scheming or no scheming (and it was definitely 'no scheming'), the bracelet had found its place, and so Octavia showed him her wrist with a tiny, lopsided smile.

"How's it look?"

"Meizen," Duke said, reaching to take her hand and give it a kiss. "Badas."

He wasn't looking at her bracelet.

Octavia noticed. It was impossible not to.

There it was again, that thrill running down her spine, familiar and unfamiliar all at once.

"I don't know much about jewelry," she said, her tone light but her voice quiet. Because they weren't actually talking about the shark on her wrist. "Guess I'll just have to trust your judgment."

"I might be slightly biased," Duke said with a little shrug. "It suits you. Practical, a little dark, but still elegant."

"Just slightly?"

That was largely rhetorical.

"Also, elegant? That's a new one."

"Absolutely. It's not my fault no one else understands the elegance in sword throwing."

There was another one of those amused huffs.

"Well, my sword's grateful for your unique point of view, I guess."

"I'm glad I could cheer it up."

Sure.

"You're ridiculous."

That was an entirely fair statement to make after making this to be about the sword first. Especially while looking down and running a fingertip over the shark.

Then she looked up again. "Anyway. Schemes, right? Guess they can't be about charm since you've already done all that."

"That is the nicest way anyone's ever called me that," Duke said. "And they could, but it'd just be a little redundant."

"I should not be managing to do anything 'the nicest' for you."

She just thought he deserved better, in general.

"And yet," Duke said, tilting his head in a little shrug.

There'd never been a lot of nice in his life.

Octavia just watched him quietly for a long moment.

Then, she said, "I think I actually have an idea for a scheme."

"Oh yeah?" Duke hadn't exactly dimmed a moment ago, but he definitely brightened a bit to be back on the subject of scheming, instead of anything that hinted at his crappy life. "Let's hear it."

"It's bare-bones, and nothing big," Octavia warned him, as if there'd been any danger of him assuming she'd come up with some grand scale masterplan all of a sudden. "But it involves enticing Lucy off the Rouge for a night."

"Really." Duke grinned. "Have plans for my boat, do you?"

He was pretty sure he'd be very happy with said plans.

"Mostly you," Octavia replied, with her tiny crooked smile. "But anything that happens after we get the witness off the boat is less a part of a scheme, and more just... us."

"True. Though calling her 'the witness' makes it sound delightfully scandalous."

The lopsided tilt of her lips turned into more of a smirk.

"Yeah, that was on purpose."

"Glad to hear it. More people should be scandalous on purpose."

"I was born scandalous," Octavia quipped. Although it was actually true. She shrugged. "Anyway, that's my scheme. Good enough for the journal?"

"Oh, totally. Once it's an actual scheme and not just, like, an outline."

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