maskormenacelogs | Pull point plot!

[ Gregor helpfully leans over and hits the power button again to turn it on, then swipes then screen open for her, revealing their text exchange.

... Then he quickly retracts his hand from her personal space, the blush getting worse. ]

Yes, it's like instantaneous telegrams. [ And that's all he's saying about that. ]

[ Miles is practically hopping up and down trying to get another look. ]

Romantic ones! Ooooh, they're like love letters, except short.

[ Automatically, ] No, they're not. That's not a proper love letter at all.

But...This doesn't sound like me.

[ Kitty, helpfully, tilts the phone towards Miles, holding it down low so he can see. (Sorry, Gregor.) ]

I sound so...bubbly.

[ Happy. She sounds happy. She looks up at Gregor: ]

So what's a proper love letter, then?

[ Well, he'd already read it, hadn't he.

He can't say anything about it not sounding like her (indeed, this foul-mouthed, shin-kicking magical bear does not resemble the teasing, happy woman on his comm log) and he suddenly looks stuck at this direct questioning. ]

You know. It should be... hand written. And hand delivered. And talk about how important you are to one another, not-- not just joking and making plans.

[ Miles gladly reads then, fascinated by this weird and vaguely inappropriate thing in front of him. ]

But you should draw a picture of a cat drinking wine in bed on your next one. I like that part.

Then proper love letters are silly.

[ Her eyes narrow skeptically. ]

You should always just get to the point and make plans. Words that lead to action are the best words of all, because only action is worthwhile.

[ Then she nods to Miles. ]

I did like the cat picture, though. That was me, I guess. Kitty.

[ Gregor can't even properly respond to the inappropriateness of Miles being involved in this conversation. He tries to pry his comm back from Kitty to recover it, more embarrassed than ever.

Her quick dismissal of proper love letters makes him retreat again, withdrawn. Mumbled, as adult Gregor never does, ] I just think if you're dating someone they should feel appreciated.

[ Miles is here to be the world's tiniest wingman. Also possibly the world's tiniest life-ruiner. ]

You gonna make plans then? Like dating plans? [ A beat. ] Can I come?

[ She looks from Miles and Gregor, then back to Miles - and then, suddenly, smiles. It's an expression that looks rather foreign to her face, and drops away quickly. ]

If I'm dating someone, they're probably pretty brave. So let's give this a test.

[ And then, to Miles: ]

And you can definitely come. You're actually very important to this.

[ Gregor at fourteen has not yet learned how not to cave to peer pressure. Not even close. He gives Kitty a slightly alarmed, wary look, dreading whatever she's going to ask him. He hates tests-- he constantly feels evaluated and wanting as it is.

But he can't bring himself to protest or say anything but a hasty, ] Yes, you definitely have to come. But I'm not using him as bait for you to test me or anything like that.

[ Oh, that's how you sound firm, by standing up for other people. Gregor clamps a gentle hand on Miles's shoulder, like he might run off and endanger himself this very second. ]

[ It's a perpetual risk even with adult Miles, and tiny Miles is just worse all around. He bobs back and forth under Gregor's hand, too impatient to sit still. ]

M'not bait, I'm getting tested too. Right?

Too right you are.

[ And Kitty holds her hand out to Miles - quite certain that Miles will take it, and that Gregor will have to come along. ]

[ Gregor sighs, but says nothing, expression going blank as he hides his wariness and confusion. He hasn't learned how to look pleasantly composed yet, or even just reserved; blankness is his only recourse. He's also hiding, dare he say it, a tiny bit of hope that maybe this bossy girl is someone he'd actually like to have as a girlfriend...

But his priority is still making sure Miles doesn't get hurt throughout this. Gregor isn't used to being sole babysitter for him without Bothari, and he's taking this very seriously. ]

[ Miles, meanwhile, is all too happy to take the magical bear girl's hand. ]

Gregor's happy too, y'know. He's hoping you're a good girlfriend.

Well, he's going to be disappointed.

[ She says that with mock-sniffiness to Miles. ]

Cause if you want to know the truth, I'm not going to be his girlfriend. But if he's brave and impresses me, I'll take him as my boyfriend. The lines of possession will go that way. And he better not ever want to marry me, because marriage is practically slavery for women. And I'm no one's slave.

[ Then she tosses her head and says: ]

What should I be next? I can do a war unicorn.

[ Miles! he hisses. Gregor hadn't actually known he could communicate coherently via telepathy until this moment, when his mortification had sparked that whole memory.

He looks rather stuffed, outwardly, and then takes a deep breath and tries to deal with this... this. All of this. He-- well. He has to say, he really rather likes this idea that he's not the one in charge of the relationship. With all the burgeoning pressure of his role really starting to weigh down on him lately, that seems very attractive. He's just not so sure that mentality about marriage is going to work out.

Except... Cordelia had told him he gets married later, and it's not arranged, and she'd wanted to marry him. So maybe this is fine. Gregor can date someone and not care about the Imperium, or having kids, or... Oh. This is what his older self sees in her, isn't it?

Gregor blinks bemusedly at her, and then finally, finally seems to recover. ] A war unicorn would be amazing, [ he says honestly. Then, with some hint of sardonicism, ] And a lot easier to ride than a bear.

[ Happily, Miles misses most of that mental knot, other than Gregor's initial embarrassment. Miles just grins even wider. ]

I guess that's okay. For him to be your boyfriend. But marriage isn't slavery, it's fun. Like Ma and Da. Or me and Gregor!

[ He's instantly distracted from that thought by the new animal offer though. ]

What's a war unicorn? Is it bigger than a normal unicorn?

[ She grins, and stomps her foot, and in her place is an enormous, ferocious beast. Black and shaggy and burly, with heavy deadly hooves and rippling muscles and a long, deadly horn protruding from her forehead. And she's tricked out with armor, too, on her chest and head, and a gleaming silver saddle. She looks...impressive. ]

This is a war unicorn. I expect you won't have any trouble riding, right?

[ She flicks an ear in amusement, then turns to indicate Gregor with the wicked-sharp point of her horn. ]

Though he had trouble with the bear. So I'm not sure about him.

At least I didn't have trouble being a bear, [ he mutters, referencing her falling flat on her face.

Gregor is further mortified by Miles's comment on marriage being like him and Gregor-- really, he's not married to his overly energetic, hellion of a foster-brother-- and consequently becomes rather curt. He picks Miles up without waiting (again) and deposits him on her back, above the saddle horn. Impressive horses are just part of his life; he wastes no time sticking his foot in the stirrup and swinging himself up, seating himself comfortably, one hand resting on his thigh and the other grabbing Miles instantly. ]

-- Hey!

[ Getting grabbed and lifted deserves (and receives) a small kick. But he settles easily enough once he's up, too awed by the awesome armor on this war unicorn to be too dismayed by the manhandling. ]

It's okay, I'll help him ride if he can't. I'm a expert at riding.

You better. He looks a bit scrawny, I think. Like he needs help.

[ Once Gregor is settled, the unicorn's tail comes up to lash at his leg. (The tail, it should be noted, is somewhat incongruously braided with pale blue silk ribbon, because, well...Kitty is a thirteen-year-old girl. And she has complete control over her appearance, and she wanted her tail to be in nice braids, thanks.) ]

And you did have trouble being a bear, since you're not one. I could fall down a hundred times and I'd still be better at being a bear than you are.

[ And with that haughty comment, she takes off down the road - bursting straight into an energetic trot that quickly becomes a headlong gallop. ]

[ Geez, Miles, didn't you want to hit on the war unicorn anyway? What's the kick about? Gregor tolerates it, and further tolerates this barrage of insults from said war unicorn.

He looks dourly at the back of her mane, at least until she explodes into a full on gallop and he's forced to grab onto it to keep his seat. Luckily Miles is an experienced rider, because a full gallop isn't trivial. ]

I don't actually want to be a bear, [ he says, having to raise his voice past the rushing wind. ] You're free to win that one.

[ For the manhandling, duh. But all is forgiven as Kitty breaks into that wild canter. Letting out a whoop of glee, Miles hunkers down to rock along with the motion that being on a horse going that fast entails. It's a damn good thing that he does know how to ride, or else he might have fallen off just now. As it is he leans forward and clutches at Kitty's mane. ]

I do! I wanna be a bear! [ He says, laughing breathlessly. ] But I like riding one better.

[ And she laughs, wild and fierce and delighted, encouraged by the feeling of the wind whipping through her mane and Miles leaning into her motion and Gregor bouncing around wildly on her saddle. She's not even put out by the yank on her hair, crying back: ]

Careful where your hands go, Gregor! It's rude to manhandle a lady.

[ And, happily: ]

You'd make a brilliant bear, Miles! Gregor, I think - he'd do better as a stone.

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