”What a waste!”

Think of the devil. Octavius was there, dripping from head to toe, his skin red with exertion, though whether the wetness was sweat or water was yet to be determined. He was in training gear, something thin and simple, and his jaw was chattering from the cold, yet he grinned.

Octavius collapsed onto the sand beside her, breathing the way someone who just pushed themself did, and took a moment.

“I do want that sandwich.” He confirmed, but he felt if he ate anything in this moment he’d hurl. “What are you doing out here anyway?”

Octavius took the sandwich, but instead of digging in he set it down beside him. He then also sat up and drew his knees, but so that he could bend his head between them to stave off the light-headedness.

"Training." He panted out the word. He'd been running, surely she could deduce. Not his forte, but he was striving to get better at it. After a pause he added, "Why didn't you just do some pushups and go back to bed? Or was it not a physical thing?"

Octavius brought one of his large hands up to Eletta's head, poked out his pointed finger, and would push the tip of it against her temple if she didn't stop him.

"Stupid head." He echoed teasingly. Hey, she'd said it first. With a sigh he brought his hand back down. A little more seriously, he allowed, "There are lots of things to be thinking about these days." All of them coming back to Nevermere didn't bode well to him. "Wanna talk about it?"

Octavius's grin dimmed a little at the mention of her uncle. If there was one thing Octavius was, it was loyal to his friends. He took on the anger she was too mature--or scared--to express. He always talked smack, and now was no different, even if years separated them.

"Ellie," he said quietly, a more cutesy nickname he reserved for specific occasions, "I'll beat the shit out of him if he comes around." It was gentle and heartfelt, ironic considering what he was saying. "Don't fret." He reached down with a single hand, intending to dislodge each of her fists from her pants. Didn't want her pulling them off, now, did they?