Work Text:
The phone buzzes under Octavia's politics book, the plastic hardcover amplifying the vibration. She's going to ignore it because she knows who it's going to be. And she doesn't want to deal with that thing in her life right now.
That is until Lexa clenches her fist across the table and exhales as calmly as she can muster with Clarke sitting at the table, too. "Octavia, if you don't answer that, I swear to God…"
"Alright, alright. Chill, Commander." She ignores any of Clarke's knowing looks and lifts the cover of the book to answer the phone. "Hi, Lincoln."
"Hey, O. I know you're probably studying, but I was wondering if you can do me a huge favor? I have to go out of town for the next week to visit my sick grandfather." He sounds sincere and genuine as he always does. She almost hates him for it. Almost.
She dares to peek up at Clarke, who's already narrowing her eyes and shaking her head in that disapproving manner she does when she thinks Octavia's making poor decisions. Octavia rolls her eyes and answers the only way she knows. "What's in it for me?"
Octavia catches the eraser that Clarke has thrown in her direction before proceeding to launch it back at the blonde. Except it hits Lexa square in the face instead. She ignores the hushed remark about childish behaviour from Lexa, who's grumpily rubbing her nose despite Clarke's apologetic coos. "You get to play with one of my four-legged clients at least three times a day for the next week."
"Say no more." A smirk plays across her face, much to the couple's chagrin across the table. "You got it, buddy. Let me know when and where?"
"I'll text you the address." Lincoln states, already expressing gratitude. "I can't thank you enough."
"No, no. Thank you."
"Bye, O."
"Later, Linc."
When she hangs up, she's greeted by a sigh from Lexa and a glare from Clarke.
"O, that's not how you get over an ex." Clarke grumbles, flipping a page in her med book. "That's going to lead to a mess."
Octavia closes her politics book. "You don't even know why he was calling."
Clarke explains. "I know that you two need space. And whatever that call was is not going to help."
"Always off to think of the worst, aren't you, Griffin?" Octavia scoffs and makes a pointed look at Lexa as she gathers her things from the kitchen table. "Will you tell your girlfriend to quit mothering me for once in her life? Better yet, call Bellamy so everyone can have a long discussion about how I'm literally just doing a favor for a friend who needs my help."
The young Blake makes her way to her room in an effort to study in solitude. She tries her best to ignore the whispers between Clarke and Lexa at the table. She receives a text from Lincoln which contains an address that sounds like it's on the other side of campus as well as some dreadful times to get up in the morning. But, Lincoln promises she'll probably fall in love with the dog, so she probably should refrain from taking it home with her. He even sends her a picture of him. She already decides it will be worth it as she's opening up her book to continue with her studies.
***
Octavia gets through at least three chapters of reading and notes before she hears the front door slam.
Her shoulders slump and her brow creases, knowing exactly what the sound means. Clarke Griffin totally just picked a fight with her girlfriend who, by the way, has the patience of a saint. She rolls her eyes, steeling her annoyance, and makes her way out of the room. As she's padding her way out of the hallway, she spots Clarke with her head in her hands at the kitchen table.
"You sure know how to clear a room, Gryffindor."
All she receives is an exhausted sigh. "Not now, O."
She takes the seat next to her friend and finds Clarke's phone. "Here." Clarke stares at her, confusion and frustration evident on her features. "We both know you were fighting about me, so I'm telling you not to. I honestly have Bell for that kind of nonsense."
"I just promised him I'd look after you, and Lexa just doesn't get that."
"And you've done that, but we also don't have to drag Lexa into this familial affairs we got going here. Three musketeers and all, but let's be real, Bell's impossible." Octavia assures her. "I can take care of myself, I promise. And you will know if I need your help." She wipes her friend's tears and shoots her a look. "So, you're gonna go after your girlfriend and hope she doesn't run into Anya first."
Clarke's eyes widen at the thought, the sight at which Octavia laughs outright.
"I'm serious, Clarke Kent. Go." Octavia grins at the fact Clarke's looking down at her hands. "You know she's not mad at you. She might be a little frustrated because you can be such a hothead-"
"-Takes one to know one-"
"-but, she's just giving you space to cool off."
Clarke takes a deep breath. "Okay, okay." Then, she musters a smile. "You're exhausting. Thank God we're not dating."
"I'm exhausting?! What about you?" Octavia exclaims as she shoves Clarke's shoulder. "No wonder Lexa has to meditate so much."
Clarke rolls her eyes. "You gonna tell me what that call was about or do I have to have another fight with my girlfriend first?"
Octavia glares at her. "Don't push your luck, Clarke. I know you're stalling. So, I will not tell you until you've taken your stubborn butt over to Lexa's to apologize for being an ass."
***
Octavia wakes the next morning to an empty apartment and a few texts on her phone.
Commander Lexa [1:08am]: Clarke wants you to know that she is not a hothead.
Commander Lexa [1:09am]: Clarke is also not stubborn.
Commander Lexa [1:33am]: She's asleep now. Thank you for talking to her earlier.
She rolls her eyes and types out a response.
Octavia Blake [9:43am]: Ha! actually thanks for putting up with her
Octavia Blake [9:44am]: do not respond with something sappy…I have enough cavities tyvm
***
"O, Lincoln's here!"
Octavia picks up her bag and rushes to the door, ignoring Clarke's questioning glances. "Hey, I'm ready for my first day."
"Of course, you are." He chuckles, waving a quick goodbye to Clarke and Lexa. He closes the door behind them and clears his throat. "Is Clarke okay? She seems quiet today."
"She doesn't like that I'm helping you."
"Well, if it's a problem, I'm sure I can find someone else." He scratches the back of his head. "The rest of my clients are fine. But, Raven's kind of a special case."
Octavia shrugs and climbs into the front seat of Lincoln's truck. "It's okay, Linc. I told you I'd help, so I will. Screw what everyone else thinks."
"That's what you said about us, and look how that turned out."
She raises an eyebrow, not holding back a steely glare. "Do you really want to have that conversation right now? You broke up with me, remember?"
"Right." He backtracks, raising his arms up in surrender before sticking the key into the ignition. "How about you meet Raven and Halcyon first before you make your decision?"
Octavia buckles in her seatbelt. The short drive to the other side of campus is quiet, and Octavia's already making a mental note of the route to take from her apartment or from class. When they get to the apartment building, which seems like it needs a new paint job, Octavia follows Lincoln to a door on the first floor.
The door opens immediately. While Octavia was expecting a person to answer the door, there's a dog sitting in the foyer instead. It barks happily at Lincoln who bends down quickly to pet the dog.
Lincoln straightens up and introduces the dog. "This is Halcyon."
Octavia tilts her head at the Chocolate Labrador Retriever with the piercing blue eyes, who reciprocates her curious gaze. "Any relation to the birds?" Halcyon barks and wags his tail as if he understands. "Or Alycone herself?"
"A little of both." A voice shakes Octavia out of her reverie. She looks up to a pair of brown eyes studying her in turn. Octavia can always recognize when anyone is In that moment, Octavia has to remember to breathe. "I'm Raven."
"Octavia." Octavia shakes her hand, taking a quick note of the brace on the girl's leg. She can't help but quirk an eyebrow as she looks between the girl and her service dog. "So, Raven and Halcyon?" She chuckles at the irony. "Unlikely pairing if you ask me."
Raven winks at her. "Nice to see there are still people who read."
Lincoln shakes his head. "I think you two will get along just fine." He looks to Octavia. "So, what do you say, O?"
"Alright, alright. I guess I'll help you out."
"You're a lifesaver, Blake. Look, I gotta catch my flight. Thanks again." He hugs her and fistbumps Raven on the way out the door.
"So, where do I begin?"
Raven throws her an amused smile complete with a nonchalant shrug. "Take him for his walk." She leaves Octavia in the foyer with Halcyon.
Octavia hears a chair being pulled out and some metal clattering against wood. So, Octavia takes the hint and hooks Halcyon's leash to his harness. She takes him for a long walk through campus, which he appears to enjoy. He looks up to her every few minutes or so, tongue hanging wildly out of his mouth, to see if she's also having the time of her life.
She kind of is.
That is until she goes to bid Raven goodbye and all she receives is a grunt, which leaves her feeling short of sour. Octavia wonders when her endeavors will stop being uphill climbs. Halcyon helps relieve the disappointment when he shows her that he can close and lock the door when she leaves.
So, the dog is kind of amazing. She can't deny that.
***
Halcyon opens the door for her bright and early the next day, as if he couldn't wait for her to come back. Or so Octavia would like to believe. He seems genuine enough with his bright eyes and wagging tail, at least. She'll take what she can get. This is literally the closest she'll get to any dog interactions until she gets out into the real world anyway. And he's honestly an oversized sweetheart.
He closes the door behind her, then hurries back to somewhere behind the kitchen wall. She hesitates for a second before following suit. She finds Raven tinkering with some metal strip with wires attached to it. She's seated on what Octavia can only describe as a workbench. She guesses this is where the dining table would be if Raven somehow didn't decide to be a mechanic. Instead, there's a bench on either side of a long table. There's a toolbox on the side Raven's stationed at and a computer on the other side, tools scattered every inch between.
Octavia awkwardly stands there, watching Raven work for a few minutes.
Raven sighs when she attaches it to what looks like a bunch of LED lights. "Dammit." She mutters some other expletives, but Octavia couldn't make them out if they're in Spanish. Halcyon watches from below the workbench, like cheerleaders exist for mechanics.
Brown eyes meet her gaze and she somehow loses the ability to speak. "He loves to watch me work up here, but you're welcome to drag him away. You are here to walk him, right?" Raven glances up at her with such nuanced confidence that Octavia merely swallows any semblance of a response. The mechanic just turns to Halcyon. "Halcyon, time for a walk."
He barks and pushes past Octavia to get back to the door. When Octavia follows, she finds him with his leash already in his mouth. She mutters more to herself than to the dog when she hooks on his leash. "Is there anything you can't do?"
"He can't eat my homework, that's for sure!" Raven calls out from her workbench.
Octavia grins down at the happy-go-lucky dog. "Of course."
They return about thirty minutes later only to find Raven in complete concentration at her workbench. Her eyebrows are furrowed as she carefully attaches a wire to a breadboard. Octavia hangs up Halcyon's leash onto the hook in the foyer, accidentally knocking off a tennis ball off the shelf in the process. The ball rolls toward Raven's workbench area, much to Octavia's horror.
Octavia hears an excited bark and a crash that could only be Halcyon crashing into the table. When Octavia finally musters enough courage to witness the mess she most definitely caused, Raven's swearing up a storm and trying to pick up a few tools that have fallen to the ground. Halcyon is a few feet away at Raven's command, with just the right amount of nerve to look as guilty as Octavia feels. She immediately rushes over and picks up the remaining equipment, apologizing profusely as she does so.
Raven just shakes her head. "Please just go."
"I can stay and help if you want." It's a weak effort and Raven doesn't take pity on her.
"You've helped enough." Raven glares at her. "Just leave." Octavia swallows the lump in her throat and nods, turning on her heel. She hears Raven call to Halcyon. "Halcyon, the door."
Halcyon overtakes her and opens the door for her. He licks her hand on the way out, as if he's apologizing, but Octavia knows better than to think that this dog is that smart. Maybe he is. And maybe Octavia totally ruined this. Whatever the case, Octavia practically runs home.
When she opens the door, Clarke is in the kitchen and makes her a cup of tea. Like she knows. She always knows.
"Hey there, kiddo." Clarke says handing her a mug, steaming and comforting. A manifestation of her best friend. "Wanna have a girl's night?" She shakes her head. "Wanna tell Clarke Kent what's wrong?"
She mumbles into her mug. "I may have screwed up majorly."
"Can't be that bad." Clarke doesn't look convinced, though. "What happened?"
Octavia retells the accident at Raven's apartment before curling up into a ball. "And now I think she hates me."
And Clarke understands, like she always does when nothing makes sense to Octavia. What Octavia is grateful is for, is that Clarke won't pry when Octavia's upset. "I think you two had a long day, and you just need to sleep. Tomorrow's a new day. Maybe you just need a fresh start."
"But Clarke-"
"No buts. Go. Before I call Lexa to bring you some calming candles."
Octavia glares at the blonde. "Don't you dare."
Clarke continues to laugh even after she's already in her room and shut the door.
***
Octavia knocks on the door the next day, and Halcyon greets her like they haven't seen each other in years.
"How's it going, Halcyon?" He lets out a sigh that sounds more like a small 'boof' as if he's expressing what an equally long night he's had. He leads her to Raven's workbench and takes his spot on the dog bed at Raven's feet.
She's surprised to find Raven fast asleep. Her head cradled into her forearm, a small snore erupting from her every few breaths. She's more than a little endeared and has to force herself to look away. She looks around the kitchen, thinking Raven could probably use a meal that isn't from the Costco-sized boxes of Pop Tarts and protein bars on the workbench. She prepares some eggs with the leftover tomatoes, spinach and ham that she could scavenge in Raven's fridge. She even gives Halcyon a few bits of ham, which he devours with minimal effort.
She finds instant coffee and then decides to boil some water. She makes Raven a cup of coffee. She brings the food and coffee over to Raven, waking her by accident when she clears off some space to set the food down.
Before Octavia can leave the room, Raven speaks. "Thank you."
The younger girl shrugs, still not meeting Raven's gaze. "Least I could do after last night."
"I'm sorry I overreacted." Raven concedes, ducking her head. "I'm glad you came back."
"Yeah, me too." Octavia turns to Halcyon. "Come on, bud. Time for a walk." He jumps out of his bed and to the door, retrieving his leash as he did the day before. She smiles at him as she attaches his leash.
When Octavia returns for Halcyon's evening walk, she finds Raven hard at work at her workbench again. Raven's handling a contraption that appears to melting metal. Intrigued, Octavia couldn't quite help but ask. "What are you working on exactly?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out." Raven says, matter-of-factly, not even sparing a glance at the girl on the other side of the workbench. She continues to melt metal and attach wires.
Octavia tries not to sound too eager. "You mean it's gonna be done before Lincoln gets back?" She inwardly wonders why that's the first time she's thought of him since he left, but she redirects her attention to the girl with tools.
Raven switches off the contraption she's handling, placing the heated part into a cylindrical rack. She looks up to her curious audience. "Yeah, try to keep up." She stands up, waving at the fumes and breathing carefully.
Octavia wonders how much pain she's in from schooled expression on the mechanic's face, but she doesn't ask out loud. Instead, she calls Halcyon for his evening walk.
***
Octavia arrives the next day to find Raven asleep at her workbench again. Halcyon lets out a gentle 'boof' when she approaches, enough to startle Raven out of her slumber.
Octavia walks into the kitchen and grabs a pan. "Breakfast?" Raven only nods. She searches the cabinets to see if she can make anything different from the day before. "Coffee maker?"
Raven responds. "Broke it."
Octavia finds bread in the pantry. "Toaster?'
The mechanic shakes her head, a little amused. "Broke that, too."
"Water boiler?"
"Caput."
With a grunt, Octavia asks. "Anything not broken?"
"The stove."
With a roll of her eyes, Octavia makes food and coffee. She toasts the bread in a pan and makes eggs in another. She boils water and finds a mug.
While Raven eats, she takes Halcyon on his walk. In somewhat of a good mood, she even lets him off his leash on the quad. Only to chase after him when he spots Lexa.
"Ooof!" Lexa says as she's pummeled to the ground by Halcyon. "You're rather excited, aren't you?" She gives him a scratch behind the ear, prompting him to slobber all over her face. Octavia finally catches up and laughs at the scowl on her friend's face. "Nice to see you keep good company."
"Hey, some of that company happens to be your girlfriend, so watch what you say." Octavia pulls her up to her feet as Halcyon looks up to Lexa with eager eyes.
"Wouldn't dream of having it any other way, Octavia." She hesitantly pets Halcyon, who barks in delight. "Is this the dog you agreed to babysit?"
"Not babysit. Exercise. Isn't that right, Halcyon?" She grins, an odd sense of pride washing over her as he sits next to Lexa's feet. "He's great, isn't he?"
Lexa shakes her head only to grin at her friend. "I'm not helping you convince Clarke to let you get a dog."
"Damn. You've foiled my plan yet again, Commander." Lexa can only laugh at her as she hooks on Halcyon's leash. Octavia smiles at her friend. "Tell Clarke I said hi and I'll be home within an hour."
Lexa nods. "Goodbye, Octavia." The lab barks as if offended. Lexa grimaces. "Halcyon."
Octavia leads Halcyon back to Raven's apartment. When she unhooks his leash, he rushes back to Raven at her usual spot at the workbench.
Octavia makes her another cup of coffee and Raven smiles at her in gratitude before she heads home.
On the walk back to her apartment, she can't help but admit that Raven's not as difficult as she had originally thought. It's enough to keep a smile on her face.
***
'Boof' is all she hears when she enters the kitchen the next morning, already fixing food for the tired mechanic. She's tired herself, but it's Friday so there's something to be happy about. There's also something about this dog with his bright eyes watching her also makes her feel as if there's nowhere else she'd rather be. Raven mumbles a thanks when she finds coffee in front of her when she wakes.
"How goes the, uh, project?" Octavia asks when she sets down the plate of eggs.
Raven vaguely gestures to it. "It's going."
Octavia can't help but be endeared by the answer. The 'project' appears to have grown at least a few inches and manifested some limbs in the form of wires and other miscellaneous parts that Octavia couldn't even begin to name.
Raven's too focused to make any talk when Octavia goes to take Halcyon for his afteroom and evening walks, so Octavia quietly takes her leave despite the seemingly whiny response from Halcyon right before she closes the door. She pauses and assures him, "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"
When she walks into her apartment to find a half-naked Clarke on top of an equally half-naked Lexa on the couch, she all but runs out of her own apartment.
Clarke Kent [9:37pm]: O, I'm so sorry. Where are you going? It's getting late.
Commander Lexa [9:40pm]: We apologize. We hadn't intended on getting carried away.
Commander Lexa [9:40pm]: If you need to be picked up, please let us know.
She exhales, not really in the mood to pretend nothing happened. She replies so they don't worry their heads off like they would if she didn't answer them.
Octavia Blake [10:00pm]: by all means, don't let me interrupt your night
Octavia Blake [10:01pm]: i'll stay with a friend tonight. it's fine.
When she's ten minutes into campus, she realizes most of her friends are out partying or studying. So she just keeps walking until she shows up at a familiar door on the other side of campus. She knows it's late and she's probably overstepping, but this is literally where she's spent all of this week, so it honestly can't be that bad. She knocks, and Halcyon opens the door, floored that 'tomorrow' came so soon.
Raven calls out from the workbench. "Who's there?"
She walks in tentatively and pokes her head around the kitchen wall. "It's me."
The mechanic drops the wires in her hands and studies the younger girl in her apartment. "What are you doing here?"
Octavia swallows all her efforts to run out the door. "Do you mind if I hang here for the night?"
Raven shrugs, gesturing to the workbench across from her. "Roommate troubles?"
With a grateful sigh, Octavia takes a seat and explains. "I got sexiled."
Trying to suppress her amusement, the mechanic clears her throat. "Well, that's no fun."
"No." Octavia can't help but laugh. She sighs and rests her chin against her palm, her eyes flickering between all the mess that's between her and the mechanic.
Raven studies her for a moment before offering a suggestion. "Want to help me with my robot arm?"
Octavia tilts her head, blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. "Your arm looks fine to me." Her face pales when she realizes the words that have just flown out of her mouth.
The mechanic laughs, so genuine and pure that it actually reaches her brown eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. I had a spinal cord injury. Not an arm amputation."
Relieved she dodged saying something offensive, Octavia asks. "Then, what's with the robot arm? Looking to win a contest?"
"Nah." Raven shakes her head, smirking as she explains. "My ego is big enough for two planets. I wanted to make one for Halcyon."
The young Blake deadpans, blinking owlishly. "He's literally a retriever."
'Exactly." Raven supplies as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "He loves to play fetch. And I can't stand or sit comfortably for very long to play with him."
Octavia sounds a little skeptical, wondering why she would need to build a robot, when Halcyon has Raven. "So, you're gonna teach him to play with a robot?"
Raven grins proudly as if it's the most genius idea in the world. Octavia can't help but be endeared. "Bingo. I get to build a robot that can catapult tennis balls and he gets to reap the benefits. Win-win."
Octavia leans forward on the table on her forearms. "Don't you have classes or I don't know other things to worry about?"
"Been done with my homework since the night you dropped it onto the floor." Octavia looks guilty, but Raven just winks at her.
Feeling bold, Octavia holds her gaze. "So, what? You're some kind of genius?"
"Did you not hear what I said about my ego?"
Octavia gives in with a laugh and raising her arms in surrender. "Alright, then. What do you need me to do?"
"You know how to strip wires?"
"Does it involve a lap dance?"
Raven smirks, not hiding her amusement. "You're cute and funny."
"It's all for show. I just want to spend more time with Halcyon." Halcyon is delighted and barks from his dog bed. That wipes the smirk off of Raven's face, which Octavia takes a victory to finally gain some kind of upperhand. She grabs the tool, which Raven refers to as the wire cutter, from Raven's hand. "You gonna show me how to do this or what?"
And Raven does with such patience that it's almost baffling. The same girl who all but chased Octavia out of her apartment the other day is gently guiding her through making different lengths of wires for Raven to use. And when Octavia gets a little too eager and chops off the metal ends, instead of stripping the rubber, Raven just points her to the wire coil. "More where that came from, Blake. But, take it easy, yeah?"
Octavia nods, finding the process of stripping wires therapeutic. She can kind of see why Raven would actually sit here all day and tinker with literally anything with wires. Kind of. She still doesn't understand how any of that works.
"Here. Hold these parts at the base together. I’m going to solder the wires to the platform, so this arm thing here," Raven motions to the metal contraption, wires rampant between the metal beams, with a bend that looks like an elbow, "can stay standing by itself." Octavia does as she's told as Raven carefully maneuvers the heated tool, which Raven explains is the soldering iron, around her hands. Careful not to burn her.
When it can mostly support itself, Raven tells her to let go and open a window. "We don't want to get high off the solder fumes. Fun as that sounds. We'd never actually get anything done tonight."
Octavia nods and opens the window, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. She looks around for Halcyon, and finds him on the couch, his head positioned on the armrest so that he can watch the two of them at the workbench. If he were only awake. She smiles at him as he snores deeply. She turns to the mechanic. "Want some coffee?"
"Spoiling me, are you?"
"I could even tell you a story, if you want." Octavia says as she's filling up a small pot with water. "My brother used to read me Greek mythology when my mom worked late and couldn't tuck me in."
Raven concentrates on soldering a difficult wire, and vaguely gestures for her to continue. "Go for it."
"So, Alcyone and her husband Ceyx had sacrilegiously referred to themselves as the new Zeus and Hera after getting married."
"Let me guess, Zeus wasn't a fan?" Raven asks, already enthralled by the story.
Octavia grabs two mugs and fills them with water before continuing. "Zeus was furious and struck down Ceyx's ship with a thunderbolt in punishment. In a dream, Ceyx tells Alcyone what happened to him and how Zeus punished him. She wasn't able to handle the news so she drowned herself in the sea."
By this point, Raven isn't even working. She's just watching Octavia make them coffee as she tells the story. "The other gods felt bad for what happened to them. They resurrected them as halcyons. Kingfishers, I think. Legend has it that halcyon birds nest in calm waters in the sea because Alcyone and Ceyx both drowned at sea."
Octavia walks over to Raven with her mug. When she sets down the mug, Raven's looking up at her with a look that Octavia can't quite place. "Thanks." She's not sure if the mechanic is thanking her for the story, the coffee or something else entirely. She literally has to shake herself from staring back for too long.
"You're welcome."
Raven takes the opportunity to fill the conversation with questions about Octavia and her roommates and even Lincoln. And even Octavia could tell it's some manifestation of a defense mechanism, so she obliges because Raven actually listens to her when she talks about how shamelessly gross Clarke and Lexa are, how Bellamy is incapable of properly expressing compassion for those he cares about, and how she really doesn't regret doing this favor for Lincoln. At least she hopes she's listening. She's all but pouring out her heart here. Something in the way Raven stops every few moments as she elaborates on a few details, looking at her in that curious way that she did before, is definitely reassuring.
While Raven's typing up the program for the arm, which has been fully constructed by five in the morning, Octavia finds a spot next to Halcyon, falling asleep to the sound of Raven's speedy typing.
***
Octavia wakes up hours later to Halcyon's tail wagging against her thigh. She shifts and blindly tries to pet him, which she hopes he appreciates because he decides to cover her face in slobber. She pushes him away and wipes her face with her shirt. She picks up her phone and finds few texts on her phone.
Clarke Kent [10:28am]: Octavia, code red. Bellamy's here for a surprise visit.
Clarke Kent [10:29am]: Seriously, he hasn't gone to check your room yet, but he's not gonna be happy when he does.
Clarke Kent [10:31am]: Octavia Blake, if there's any point in time you'd like to magically apparate back to the apartment, now would be it.
Clarke Kent [10:32am]: He's furious, O. Get back home. Quick.
Bell [10:32am]: Octavia, where the hell are you?
Bell [10:33am]: I'm literally at your place. Clarke doesn't know where you are?
Bell [10:34am]: Where are you? I'm gonna come pick you up.
Clarke Kent [11:00am]: Okay, Lexa and I finally got him to calm down. Just when you get these messages, call us, okay?
"Shit" is all she can say in her half slumber, exhaling deeply.
"Rough night?" Of course, Raven's awake.
She turns around on the couch to face her. Octavia explains. "My brother came to visit. He's furious I'm not home."
Raven chuckles and shakes her head. "Sounds like a fun brother."
Octavia rolls her eyes and makes her way to the workbench with Halcyon in tow. "He can deal." Raven shoots her a look. She clarifies. "For now." She walks into the kitchen. "Want some breakfast?"
Raven smiles, bright and wide. "Thought you'd never ask."
Octavia wonders if her hair can cover the blush creeping up her neck. She hopes so. She clears her throat. "Did you finish it?"
"Almost. " With a slight groan, the mechanic throws her hands in the air-- probably to prevent herself from smashing her computer, Octavia believes wholeheartedly. "I think it's something in the code. But that should be an easy fix after I get more sleep."
Reaching for the coffee, she looks over her shoulder to find Raven glaring holes into the screen in front of her. She fixes a cup of a coffee and walks it over to the workbench. "Want me to take a look?"
Raven looks at Octavia, incredibly impressed. Octavia can't help but feel like she's under a spotlight. "You know how to cook and program? Will you marry me?"
She manages to roll her eyes. Barely. "Let's not get hasty, Reyes." But she somehow comes up with a response, even winking in confidence. "I liked to be wined and dined first."
The mechanic sounds offended. "After we spent the night together? I'm surprised you have any values left."
"I actually don't understand any of this. As a politics major, I just know how to read words." Octavia just laughs at Raven's frown, taking the laptop to the kitchen counter to make herself a cup of coffee. "Seriously, though, you might need a new pair of eyes to look at this. That's what Monty says, anyway. But only when he's high."
Raven turns her head. "Monty? As in Monty Green?"
Octavia waves a hand in her general direction. "Yeah, you know him?"
"Of course, I do. He's in like all my classes." She smiles into her mug. "If I'm a genius, that kid's a super genius."
"Lack of sleep leaves you with humility. I'm impressed."
Raven smirks at her with that nuanced confidence that makes Octavia want to kiss it right off her face. Not that she'd say so out loud. Or admit it to herself. But, it's almost as if Raven reads her mind. "Attractive, right?"
The younger girl just turns away from the mechanic. She sips her coffee and mutters to the screen, hoping the other girl doesn't hear. "Something like that."
When the lines of code start to look more like gibberish than when she first saw it, she decides to takes Halcyon for a walk and calls Bellamy.
He sounds relieved when he answers on the second ring. "Octavia, thank god. I thought something happened to you."
"I'm sorry, Bell." She says as Halcyon barks at squirrel going up a tree. "I stayed at a friend's."
He responds with the distrusting tone that just grates at Octavia's nerves. "And who is this friend?"
She rolls her eyes because he really is impossible. "Just a friend. I'm walking her dog for her."
Bellamy laughs. "What? She doesn't have two legs of her own?"
Something inside her snaps, and she doesn't want to have to deal with his ignorance. "That's exactly the point, you idiot. If you're gonna keep being rude to my friend and her service dog, then don't expect me back today." She starts again, but stops. "Just go home, Bell. I don't want to see you."
He backtracks as Bellamy Blake does when he can't get his way. "Octavia, I didn't-"
She doesn't feel like fighting him. Not today. "Bye, Bell."
Halcyon practically drags her through the door. She can feel him urging her to unfasten his leash so he can close the door and rush back to Raven at her workbench. She turns the corner to find Raven looking at the dog in such a forlorn manner that it makes Octavia's heart physically ache.
When she realizes Octavia's right there, her guard goes back up and schools her expression much like she does when she stands after not moving for hours. Raven looks at her. "Fight with the brother?"
Octavia schools her own expression. "I don't want to talk about it."
Raven nods, getting the hint. She instead suggests something else they can talk about. "Wanna look at the code, then? The sooner you can take a look, the better. I made a few changes, but I feel like I'm missing something."
The younger girl can only look down at Halcyon's content state in his bed next to Raven. She decides she doesn't need any other reason, until she lifts her gaze to Raven's face in full concentration. "Yeah. I honestly can't wait to see the look on his face when it actually works." She's still looking, and the mechanic surely doesn't notice.
Raven goes through line by line, explaining which lines allow the arm to grip the tennis ball or bend or just move. While Raven talks, Octavia has to wonder if she's paying more attention to the actual lines of code or the way Raven's face lights up when she talks.
Shaking her thoughts away from Raven and to the code, she notices an anomaly. "Hey, is that supposed to be a colon?"
Squinting at the screen, Raven moves the cursor back and forth over the said punctuation. "…no."
She changes it, and Octavia's practically bursting. "Try it now!"
Raven connects a cord from the base to the computer. She turns a knob all the way to the left and Octavia tilts her head at it. The mechanic explains. "It's called a potentiometer. It's like a volume dial. Turning it one way decreases and turning the other increases."
"What is it changing?"
Raven smiles. "It's one of my modifications to the original code. It can control how hard the ball is thrown." Octavia looks at the simple knob in awe before looking at Raven again who gestures at the arm. Grabbing the tennis ball she had placed into the Pop Tarts box, she looks to the younger girl. "Ready?"
Octavia nods, feeling her excitement course through her veins like adrenaline. She takes the tennis ball and places it into the grasp of the robot's 'hand'. Raven just gawks at her as she shrugs. "Try and keep up."
"So all we have to do is, turn it on and run the program." Raven clicks on the green 'Run' button on the computer and less than a second later, the arm ricochets the ball towards the couch, which the ball hits. Hard.
"I think I turned the potentiometer the wrong way." The mechanic whispers, staring wide-eyed between the arm and the computer.
Halcyon's already zoomed off to retrieve the ball from the couch cushion.
Octavia blinks multiple times, taking time to process what just happened, and then turns to the mechanic. "Raven! Raven, it works!" Raven's grinning, beaming like she's seen the sun for the first time and breathed fresh air. It's the most beautiful sight Octavia's ever seen in her life. And in a split second, Octavia's leaning forward and Raven's meeting her halfway as their lips meet, clumsy and rushed and desperate. But, oh so right.
It doesn't last for very long because Halcyon shoves his way between them, slobbery tennis ball in his mouth at the ready. Raven clears her throat first, turning back to the robot. She twists the knob the opposite direction. She nods at Octavia, not exactly making eye contact, who then puts the ball in place.
Raven reloads the program and runs it. With baited breath, they wait. The robotic arm makes a few noises and barely lets go of the ball. It works.
Raven insists they take it out to the quad so Halcyon can run around in the grass. Octavia rushes to get a chair and a blanket and Raven just watches with a small smile on her face. Halcyon is at her heels as she moves the arm and the computer outside. Raven gives her a long extension cord that they can take out to power up the robot. The younger girl doesn't stop moving until she's sure that Raven is comfortable in the chair.
Octavia takes a video of Raven trying different settings, but focuses more on Raven's smile than the robot or Halcyon's slobbery excitement.
Raven tires after an hour, sleep deprivation catching up to her finally. She leans against Octavia as they walk the short distance back into the apartment and settles onto the couch.
Octavia takes a few more trips to get everything back onto the workbench. When she closes the door, Raven's looking up at her. "Thank you."
"I'm pretty sure that was all you." Octavia smiles, sitting next to the brunette. Raven shakes her head, ready to partake in their familiar banter, but Octavia beats her to speaking. "Can I spend the night again?"
Raven blinks, not expecting that question at all. "There's no robot to work on tonight."
"That's alright." Octavia shrugs, except this time holding Raven's wide-eyed expression. "We could just talk. Just like we did last night, just no soldering."
The mechanic looks down, mumbling. "I'm not half as exciting when I'm not talking about wires and parts and code."
Octavia outright rolls her eyes at the girl, bumping shoulders with her. "I'll be the judge of that."
Octavia showers and borrows some of Raven's clothes. Halcyon jumps up onto her lap until Raven joins them on the couch when he squeezes between them.
"I wasn't supposed to keep him." Raven just announces out of nowhere, startling the younger girl slightly.
She whispers, unable to find her voice. "What do you mean?"
Raven turns her body toward her on the couch, gesturing with her hands in frantic manner. "When you first met him and asked about him. This whole thing was supposed to be a trial, about three years ago when I started school here. My mentor, Sinclair." She takes a breath. "His son breeds service dogs for a living. Sinclair thought I should have one to carry some of gear and open doors for me and all that."
Octavia imagined a headstrong, younger Raven Reyes- a brazen force to be reckoned with. Probably with the kind of stubbornness that could only challenge Clarke's. "You didn't think you needed him?"
The older girl barks out a laugh. Full of bitterness that doesn't sit well with Octavia. "Oh, I knew I needed a service dog. Look at me. One shitty car accident at seventeen and all I'll ever get to do is hobble around." She gives a teary smile, more directed at Halcyon, who's head is in her lap. "I just never thought I'd want him. Actually want him to be my friend, I mean."
It almost breaks Octavia's heart the way she talks about Halcyon like he could never love her-- when Octavia knows better than she knows anything in her life that it's not true. "You have to know that he loves you more than anything."
The bitterness comes back in full force. Raven spits out a response. "How do you know? You've known him about a week."
But Octavia doesn't back down easily. So she sits there and takes whatever it is that Raven wants to take out on her. She's not going to be scared away this time. "It's what dogs are for. They love with all their heart. Pure and unapologetic."
Raven wipes away a tear and scoffs harshly and unbelieving. "And humans aren't made for that?"
Octavia answers honestly. "Beats me. I'm no expert on humans. Dogs are far more simpler creatures. It's easy to simplify them."
Raven nods thoughtfully, the bitterness leaving her features soft and vulnerable. "You know what I think?"
Somehow Raven's hand ends up in Octavia's. Neither of them seem to mind. "Hm?"
"Humans aren't unapologetic. They're scared."
"Scared of what?"
"Being broken."
Octavia forces eye contact, chasing Raven's distant gaze. "Being broken? Or being seen?"
***
And when Octavia wakes, she finds Raven in her arms and Halcyon tangled in between their legs. Octavia wonders if she's comfortable, her leg and all. "Go back to sleep." Raven murmurs the moment she's about to ask. Her even breathing is enough to lull Octavia back to a peaceful sleep.
The door opens and Halcyon barks frantically at the door. "Hey, Raven, I'm back. I can take Halcyon for a--" Lincoln stops in his tracks to find Octavia and Raven cuddled on the couch together. He visibly swallows and nods at Octavia, who's staring at him shocked as if she'd forgotten he existed. He simply announces. "I'll just take him out real quick."
The door shuts and Raven stirs. "Should I ask?"
Octavia untangles herself from the girl in her arms. "I should go."
Raven tries not to sound frantic, like this isn't something that she was afraid of since Octavia asked to spend the night. "Or you could stay." It's weak and Raven is too embarrassed to look at the girl gathering her things.
"This weekend was fun." Octavia kisses Raven on the cheek, impulsively. Out of want? Out of necessity? Out of something completely out of her control. "But, I should get going."
She flees before Lincoln can get back. She flees before Raven could stop her. She gets home and finds Clarke's arms. Lexa beside them immediately to stroke her hair. She doesn't talk and they don't pry. They just let her cry out whatever it is she's holding in all weekend.
***
Lincoln [12:15pm]: Thanks again for walking Halcyon last week. Told you that you'd love him.
Lincoln [12:20pm]: Is everything okay with you and Raven? She seems a little upset.
Lincoln [12:21pm]: Mostly at her toaster and her coffee maker? And I think her water boiler?
***
Bell [5:15pm]: I'm really sorry about last weekend. I overreacted. I promise next time I'll call.
Bell [5:25pm]: Clarke tells me you built a robot? Did it explode? Did you name it after me?
Bell [5:27pm]: Call me, okay? I miss you.
Octavia [5:30pm]: no
Octavia [5:31pm]: you might be my brother, but you're still a major jerk
Bell [5:33pm]: Okay. That's fair.
***
Commander Lexa [4:27pm]: Clarke wants to know if you're up for a party tonight?
Commander Lexa [4:29pm]: You've literally been locked up in your room for the past three weekends.
Commander Lexa [4:30pm]: Please tell me you haven't been neglecting daily hygiene.
Commander Lexa [4:31pm]: Clarke says I'm not allowed to give you candles.
***
Her phone buzzes and the light almost blinds her in the darkness. Octavia all but growls when she answers on the fourth ring. "Hello?"
"Octavia?"
"Lincoln?" She looks over at the clock. "It's three in the morning. Is everything okay?"
"It's Raven." Lincoln explains. "Well, actually, it's Halcyon. He's gone missing, and I'm kind of worried about Raven." He pauses, hesitation evident, before admitting. "She needs you."
Octavia gets up and pulls on a sweater and her running shoes. "Where is she?"
"At her apartment." Lincoln sighs into the phone. "I can't look after her if I'm out looking for Halcyon."
She shuts the door to her apartment. "I'm already on my way." She starts sprinting. "Lincoln, please find him."
"I will. You take care of Raven."
Octavia sprints the entire way to Raven's apartment. She's almost to the door when she hears a familiar bark. She stops and looks around the quad until she finds Halcyon sprinting full speed toward her. She kneels and catches him in her arms. "You big goof. What are you doing out this late? Raven's probably worried sick." He looks guilty, his eyes going wide as he whines out an apology. She shoves open the door and calls out for the mechanic. "Raven?" There's a noise by the workbench and Octavia doesn't hesitate when her feet move her forward. "Hey, look who I found."
Raven rushes into her arms, falling apart as she tries to keep her up. Halcyon lets out a semblance of a howl. "I thought I lost both of you."
Octavia shakes her head, taking Raven's face into her hands. "Never." Halcyon barks as if in agreement. She leads Raven back to the couch. "Stay here. I need to call Lincoln and let him know Halcyon's home." Raven nods weakly, burying her face into Halcyon's smooth fur.
She dials Lincoln's number the moment she's out the door. He answers immediately. "How is she?"
"She's fine. Halcyon came home."
"Thank god."
She breathes out, watching her breath take form in the cold night. "Hey, Linc?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"I'm pretty sure you did all the work tonight."
She rolls her eyes and laughs. He laughs too, like they're going to be okay in the long run. "I meant…thanks for letting me go."
"You deserve happiness, Octavia Blake. The kind I could never give you, but she can." He says it like he believes it. So she wants to believe him, too. "And if anyone deserves you, it's Raven Reyes."
***
She's walking back from class with Lexa when she sees him in the courtyard outside of the apartment. Lexa's in the middle of reciting the war council they just learned in class when Octavia runs full sprint towards the middle of the quad.
"Halcyon!"
He wags his tail and tries to slobber all over her face, which she turns away from. 'Boof!' is all he can manage to bark in all his excitement.
"You big goof." She looks around. "Where's Raven? Why are you here by yourself?"
Then, Clarke's there, holding a box. "So, you do know him." Lexa catches up shortly after, placing a kiss on Clarke's cheek before assessing the situation herself.
"Yeah, this is Halcyon. The dog I was walking when Lincoln went out of town." Clarke bends down to pet him. He takes quite the liking to her when he somehow figures out that her and Lexa are an item. Lexa keeps a meaningful distance, not really wanting to be pummeled to the ground again.
"I told you I wasn't lying." Octavia's head snaps up at the voice. Her voice. Not broken or strained. Just all in her brazen Raven Reyes glory.
Octavia tilts her head. Raven's supposed to be in lecture right now. "Raven? What are you doing here?"
"Thought I'd fix some things. You know. Usual Wednesday stuff."
Octavia opens the box, trying to keep her balance with Halcyon trying to chase Clarke and Lexa in circles around her. "Is this your toaster?" Octavia looks up and Raven gives her a nonchalant shrug. She raises an eyebrow. "And your coffeemaker?" There's one more item in the box that makes her laugh. "Water boiler!"
Raven shrugs and stuffs her hands into her orange jacket. "Maybe I'm done being broken."
Octavia pulls her in by her jacket for a kiss, holding her close. Raven kisses her a second time with more fervor, enough to heat something low and deep in Octavia's gut. Octavia rests their foreheads together. "You were never broken to me."
"You're saying I didn't have to fix any of my appliances?"
"I'm honestly disappointed you didn't use your dog."
"You know my ego couldn't handle that."
Octavia smiles into the kiss, pouting when Halcyon jumps between them to break them apart. Raven's smiling at her like she's the sun, like she's seeing her for the first time. Octavia wonders if this is how Raven's always looked at her and if it's something she'll ever get used to.