[ One of these observations is easier to answer than the other. ]

We never spent much time together before this.

[ An airship of the Grandcypher's size needs a matching large crew to man it, and even if they hadn't already gravitated towards their own social circles long before joining up, none of them are exactly models for indolence and respite. Siegfried had Feendrache to worry about, he had a neverending list of Society assignments to complete, and Lucio.... His steps slow a smidge again, a stray thought drifting across his mind. ]

I also don't know if Lucio can get drunk.

[ Because Lucio is....something. Certainly not human, though what exactly he is Eustace has no idea.

Now that they've settled into an even pace again, he becomes (even more) aware of the brush of their arms against each other and the proximity of her body to his. It had been booze-fueled impulse that led him to grab hold of her hands in the first place, but it's something else entirely that keeps their hands linked together. By now, the worst of his earlier giddiness has faded, leaving behind a familiar sense of contemplation. His fingers tighten around hers, the touchpoint a comfort as he grapples with the myriad thoughts swirling around his head. What is he so worked up about? Too many things. ]

It's been six months. [ Half a year. ] Even I need a break.

[ From the island's insane machinations is the implied but unsaid continuation. ]