(no subject)

[dendarii]

WHO: Miles + people
WHERE: Various locations, mostly DC7
WHEN: May catch-all!
WHAT: Ditto.
WARNINGS: To be edited as necessary.

Comments

GREGOR, post caves

[dendarii]

[ So Miles got himself arrested along with Ed, and no one was surprised in the least. Fortunately this incident was minor at worst, a warning and prompt ejection from the caves with a bit of detaining to top it off. He spent most of his time talking to the Americans to get him and Ed out early... Mostly he's just annoyed he didn't get to see more of the caves. He make a mental note to track down Ed and ask for more details on what, exactly, that whole alchemy attempt was all about ...

For now he returns to DC7 rather thoughtful, and definitely a bit smug. Having retrieved a certain special (if utterly mundane) mineral sample of his own ... The precious bit of metal is in his pocket; he's grateful to himself for having the forethought to make Tex carry it rather than insisting he do the honors. Surely the guards would have relieved him of it otherwise.

As soon as he comes in the door, he knocks gently at his imperial boyfriend's psyche. Assuming Gregor isn't there waiting for him already. ]

Gregor? I'm home.

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor hadn't been too concerned to hear that Miles had gotten himself arrested, really. The American government has been a familiar sort of questionable but not unreasonable so far.

Accordingly, he's perfectly calm as he walks out of the kitchen to greet him. ]

Welcome back. How was being mildly arrested? [ He is curious. He hadn't wanted to distract him with a request for running commentary while it'd been going on. ]

[dendarii]

[ It likely helps that Miles wasn't the least bit alarmed. Sure, they'd been a bit fussy about his nonregistered status, but he'd found it easy enough to convince them that he was no danger whatsoever.

Warmth effuses the link as he spies Gregor. Even with this short of a trip, Miles found himself missing the emperor just a bit. He grins and gets on his tiptoes, reaching up to pull Gregor into a brief, fond kiss. ]

Eh. Hardly anything at all. Mostly I'm disappointed I spent half my time looking at the inside of a room instead of roaming through the caves.

[vorbarra]

[ He has to bend fully at the waist to reach him to kiss, but Gregor is all warm reflection back, like a cat luxuriating in the sun. It hasn't yet faded for him, the sincere enjoyment of having someone to be this disgustingly domestic with.

Gregor loves being disgustingly domestic. ]

That is the risk you run, [ he says succinctly. ] How did things go with Mr. Elric? Was he a hassle to keep track of?

[dendarii]

[ And Miles adores sap in turn, so isn't that just perfect? He keeps his hands on Gregor's arms afterwards. ]

Surprisingly, no. It's as though he was trying to protect me in turn. Funny, eh?

JOHN, 5/2

[dendarii]

[ True to his word, Miles is indeed standing in the doorway to DC7 by the time John arrives. He's leaning against the frame, scanning the street for any sign of his guest. Given how he's been surrounded by friends and family since his very first day here ... Miles can't imagine being left alone, the last man standing from his world. The very thought sends a terrible chill down his spine.

Not something to be contemplated today. Better to get a bit tipsy and be grateful for what he does have.

When he thinks he spots John approaching, he lifts a hand in greeting. ]

John Watson, I presume?

[acclimatized]

[ in the past, john's been lucky enough to have his isolation last in a few short bursts; invalided home to london, he found a best friend. losing that best friend gained him a fiancé. two years later, he got them both back in his life and it was good... for a while, anyway. life has never run smoothly for a man like him.

this place was a whole different story though. the porter would bring them here and then take them away again. it not only left him feeling bereft when it happened, but felt fit to return the dodgy limp in his leg. it's a maddening experience and god knows he needs to make a few more friends here to make it bearable. ]

And you must be Miles.

[ the smile comes easily enough and he holds up a bottle of wine. ]

I hope you don't mind but, uh, thought I should bring something.

[dendarii]

[ Miles brightens instantly at the offer. With a polite grin, he waves John inside. ]

Trust me, I don't mind in the slightest. Wine is generally my poison of choice, given the lack of maple mead here.

[ DC7 is a sparsely decorated yet definitely lived-in sort of place. There are technically seven people here at the moment, though two of the occupants are temporary. Off to one side of the living room is a study that has been completely taken over by some kind of mammoth, sprawling board game. And a few half-painted miniatures have made their way out to the living room table too. Clearly Miles had been working on them earlier that day.

For now, Miles heads for the kitchen to take down some glasses for the two of them. As small as he is, he has clamber up onto the counter and back down to reach them. ]

Living room?

[acclimatized]

Great. I can't say that I've ever tried maple mead... I've always gone for whatever's on special officer. Which was usually a couple cans of Stella back home. Here though...

[ john's voice trails off as the expanding board game of DC7's occupants catches his eye as he walks by the doorway. he had intended to follow miles into the kitchen and help out with the glasses, but he pauses to take it all in. ]

Mm? Oh, yeah. Cheers. [ he wets his lips. ] Is that Dungeons and Dragons?

sometime after caving

[failureisntachoice]

[ Everything could have gone far worse admittedly. Hell, she's not even surprised or annoyed by Miles arresting. It had been mild by all accounts and he came out of it uninjured, so it wasn't as if she didn't do her job properly.

It's the loud argument she ended up having with Ed sometime prior to that, that has her annoyed. Enough that she's moving in to catch Miles when he's alone in the study. ]

We need to talk.

[dendarii]

[ Miles is in the largest, most comfortable chair in the board game room / study when she arrives, having decided to polish off his adventures with a bit of tactics planning ... and falling firmly into a nap instead. Mutants and mild arrests and all ... Even Miles tires eventually. The moment she speaks, though, he jerks awake guiltily. He must really be tired if he's just having spontaneous naps like this.

He rubs at his face gently and turns towards her. ]

-- We do? Is everything all right?

[ A faint, instinctive spike of dread. Even now he fears that she'll up and decide to leave the Vorkosigans for good. Not because he doubts her loyalty, but rather his ability to inspire it. ]

[failureisntachoice]

[ She catches the spike of dread and frowns down at him. What the hell was that about? She hadn't realized she'd gotten to the point of inspiring fear in the Vorkosigans, too.

She opts to remain standing, taking up leaning against one of the many surfaces that contain board game pieces. Carefully, of course. She doesn't need him shrieking over falling parts. ]

For the most part, yeah. But I had trouble with that kid you said you want to recruit. The young boy. [ Winry's still in the clear. ]

[dendarii]

[ Oh. Phew. Miles relaxes instantly, with the accompanying wave of relief washing over the link. Not quitting. Or leaving him. So far, anyway. ]

Ed? What about him?

MAHANON

[dendarii]

[ Well. It's not every day Miles gets to have drinks with an elf. Not even Spock counts here ... mostly because Miles hasn't actually seen the Vulcan get drunk. Can he? Ah, well. A thought for another time.

He's perched up on a bar stool waiting for Mahanon, glancing down at his comm every now and then to make sure he hasn't missed a panicked message about being lost or something. For now, the height of the stool masks the lack of his height, though that will surely change the first time he step down from it. (The bartender sure had given his (real! accurate!) ID a hard look when he'd taken it out - he's starting to get really annoyed by people thinking he's younger than he is.)

At least he's got a drink now. Which he sips at idly, gaze drifting between his comm and the door. ]

[sidequestings]

[ there are thankfully no panicked messages, or in fact messages of any kind. mahanon doesn't get lost, but only because he's not too proud to stop and ask for directions when he's uncertain which way to go. what this means is that while he doesn't get there as quickly as miles, he still manages to arrive in good time.

when he steps in, it only takes him a moment to find the other man across the bar, earning a quick, warm smile as he makes his way toward him. in person, mahanon himself is on the small side--an inch or two above five feet, maybe--fine-boned and almost delicate. pretty, even. --all things his people are known for. ]

The streets here aren't as confusing as I expected them to be, [ he says by way of greeting, pale eyes bright and a little amused as he offers a hand. ] It's nice to meet you in person, Miles.

[dendarii]

[ Oh. That's rather nice, actually. Miles doesn't mind tall people - hell, his boyfriend has to get down on one knee to kiss him properly - but there's always an immediate sense of camaraderie when he meets someone else almost as short as he is. As such, he opts to actually hop down from his stool to take the inquisitor's hand rather than just wave from his seat. Gaze drifting curiously over Mahanon's tattoos, and ears, and stature ... Similar to Tauriel but very distinct from Spock, he decides. ]

The same to you, Mahanon. Do you have a preference on drinks?

[sidequestings]

[ now he really is curious. mahanon is accustomed to being at least several inches shorter than the average human man (and some women), but miles is smaller than many dwarves he's met. not as stocky, though, at least. are all humans where he's from like this, or is miles unique?

he hums out a noise that's one part amusement and one part dread as he slides onto his own stool, neatly hooking his ankles on the rung. ]

Mythal preserve me, as long as it isn't whatever swill Bull prefers-- [ but he clears his throat, narrow shoulder lifting in a small shrug. ] Honestly, I've no idea what this world offers. I'm mostly a wine-drinker, given a choice.

CORDELIA

[dendarii]

[ With the staff meeting a success, Miles' own personal contribution to bodyguard duty having gone ... reasonably well, and Kareen more or less handled (if not settled completely), Miles feels good enough to risk some idle self-indulgence. He gently partitions a corner of his mind off just for privacy's sake, though with an inherent invitation to Gregor to stop in if he likes. Just. Well.

If he's going to spend a few hours perfecting his signature as Prince-Consort Lord Admiral Miles Naismith Vorkosigan Vorbarra, he's going to at least try to keep that private. And burn the pages afterwards. Sometimes you've just gotta scribble future married names into a notebook until you're sick of looking at it. ]

[keep_nothing]

[ If he's too focused on perfecting that signature to notice the soft chuckling behind and slightly above him, well, that's his own fault. ]

Practicing, eh?

[dendarii]

[ Miles yelps in a rather undignified way, putting a hand over the page to hide it. Then ... relaxing when he sees it's Cordelia. Oh good, just his mother.

... Shit, it's his mother. ]

You scared the life out of me.

[keep_nothing]

Why, keeping this secret for some reason? You're practically leaking over the link, you know.

DC #7

[wizzardly]

[nothing about this is good. This can only be terrible. He's terrible for being here. Everything is going to be terrible.

Rincewind folds his robed arms tighter around himself as he trudges up towards the home, the Luggage following dutifully behind him. He waited around specifically outside the Porter until it was able to catch up, and has scolded it into being on its best behavior tonight. (No need to make an already poor situation worse by having his monstrous guard box break a vase or eat a family pet or something.)

His only hope is by the time they get to the second bottle of wine Rincewind's brought, they'll either be concerned only with the most frivolous of topics... or one of them will pass out. Either option works if it keeps Rincewind from a moral quandary.

He also hopes it's Miles who answers when he knocks cautiously on the door; this is going to be stressful enough without involving the man's family, soldiers, or emperor.]

[dendarii]

[ Happily, Miles is the one who answers that knock - though not without some level of surprise. Honestly he'd assumed the wizard would just bolt. He's truly glad to see him show up instead. With a slightly exaggerated bow, he steps aside for Rincewind to step in. (And glares a bit at that damn box.) ]

Welcome. I'm glad you could make it.

[wizzardly]

Oh, you say that now. [his normal sarcastic, somewhat bitter humor, but the smirk on his lips feels brittle with the truth of it. Rincewind steps inside, looking around, and the Luggage goes trundling on past the both of them, somehow able to head with instinctual accuracy for the kitchen.]

...Quiet night? No "games" to be had or marching orders to pass out to the troops?

[dendarii]

[ Miles, meanwhile, happily lead Rincewind away from the boxy beast and into the living room. Fairly plain as far as these things go, though with obvious signs of life. Books, e-readers, newspapers, half-painted miniatures ... and the wild board game visible in the next room. He brightens, in fact, glancing over at it. Rincewind hadn't actually gotten to see it, had he? ]

None tonight. Nothing except the actual game, anyway.