fandomtownies | Luke's, Thursday

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Luke's, Thursday

"So it's your birthday next week!" Timmy said. Ali elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't talk about his birthday, he doesn't like it!"

"He didn't like it last year because his girl was missing. You can't judge it based on that."

"Does he look happy about discussing his birthday?"

Duke ignored them both, focusing on the fish. They could work this out for themselves.

Today's specials
CATCH OF THE DAY!
Bahamian fish fry

Luke's was open!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If'n you wanna

Preferably not about his birthday

Octavia was not here to talk about his birthday, no. But there was a bag over her shoulder when she showed up around lunch time. That was a little out of the ordinary for her, at least for just walking around town.

"Ha yun, jaka."

Duke gave her a grin, and a raised eyebrow at that bag. "Ha yun, gona. Whatcha got there?"

Octavia glanced at the bag, and shrugged. "Heading out on the mainland after I eat," she said. "To the pool, then... wherever I end up."

It felt like a day for it. She'd been feeling a little restless.

"Sounds like fun. Looking for some lunch first?"

Octavia gave him a wry little look. "I said 'after I eat', right?"

Did he think she'd just come here to announce that?

Look, sometimes making conversation was weird.

“Did you? I must have been distracted by your beauty.”

Octavia rolled her eyes.

And stepped up to get her kiss hello.

As she so rightly deserved to. In both cases.

Duke put in an order for the special, and after a very nice hello kiss, started making her a milkshake. "How's your day been so far?"

Octavia sighed, but the frustration in it was largely for show. The little curve of her lips hadn't really gone anywhere. "Why does that get asked so much?" she asked. "Usually on days where there's nothing to say, too."

“Because much like nature abhors a vacuum, modern society abhors a conversational lull. So we fill it with inane questions in an attempt to get each other to talk.”

"What's wrong with a lull?"

Duke shrugged. “Gives you time to think? I don’t know, we just get taught from a young age not to let it happen.”

Octavia shrugged back. It was pretty light. "I was told there needed to be quiet time."

Probably had more to do with her specific circumstances than the customs of her time.

“Well, quiet time is useful when you’re in hiding.”

"More like Bel needed to do his homework in peace," Octavia said, and immediately regretted it. Something shifted in her expression, briefly. Got milder as she glanced away.

Then she pushed through it with an inhale, and a deeply wry, "Anyway, how's your day been?"

Duke took a matching breath as he topped her shake with whipped cream and a fresh strawberry. “Uneventful. Other than Ali being weirdly protective.”

"Of you?" Octavia asked, glancing towards the kitchen.

Happy to grab hold of a subject that would pull her thoughts away from her brother.

“Yup. Weird, right?”

"Kinda, yeah," Octavia agreed, her gaze lingering where it was for a moment, before it flicked back to him. "Of course, I think everyone should be protective of you."

“Ugh, are you kidding? I’d never get anything done!”

Octavia gave a soft snort. "I didn't see Ali hindering your work at all when I got here."

"Right. He was hindering Timmy." Duke shrugged. "A few people is fine, but if everyone was, they'd be all up in my business and trying to tell me what to do, right?"

Look, this was how he'd made himself somewhat okay with being ignored as a child. It meant he could get away with shit.

"... No?"

Octavia was pretty sure he was mixing up protective with something else.

"Sure they would. They'd be -- paying attention."

Which was clearly doom.

"Mmh."

She was just going to... nod at the milkshake, now.

"That for me?"

"Ah! Yes." Duke set it down on the counter in front of her. "Enjoy!"

"Chof," Octavia said as she took it. "Strawberry, right?"

"With some banana this time, yep." Duke grinned. "Tell me what you think."

"I love it."

She had not actually tasted it before she said so, no. But she did so right after.

Yeah, Duke was just going to watch her expression as she took the actual sip.

What, didn't he believe her? Or not remember that her face wasn't always the most open thing in the world?

Though she glanced up as she was taking her sip, and looked faintly amused. "What?"

Not the most expressive, but that just meant he had to look closely to read it properly!

"Wanted to see your reaction once you actually tasted it."

"Is there a lot riding on this milkshake?" Octavia teased. And took another sip.

And made sure to look appreciative.

(It was easy, because it was good.)