[ You would not be unwelcome. Mark looks at the face of the man whom he'd feared. Feared and hated seems the more natural phrase, because he'd very often pledged his loathing of Aral Vorkosigan, but it's not right; there's no hatred of the Butcher of Komarr that's truly his, that wasn't just borrowed from Ser Galen. Only fear. But fear is enough, isn't it? Fear even without hatred is still enough to taint and poison things. When a face has walked through enough of your nightmares, when it's dismembered and destroyed you enough times, is it possible to look at it with anything approaching a positive emotion? Even now, even with Aral Vorkosigan halting and even awkward (awkward?), there's still a prickle of fear.
What happens if he joins the House properly? Once this initial phase is passed? Because things won't always be like they are now - Mark understands that well. All of this shyness will fade in time, and their joy to have him; he'll become not Mark-our-new-son-and-brother but just Mark. And then what? Will Aral Vorkosigan be revealed to be casually brutish, the sort of father who does thoughtless injury to a son? Mark only has to look to Miles and Miles' adoration of his father to know that's not true. At least not true for Miles. Will he be kind, doting, overindulgent? Distant? Forceful?
But...a family. A home. People who...well. They might not love him, but they'd tolerate him, at least. Give him a place to lay his head. Give him resources. The only reason to turn that down would be if it came at some high cost...
And he's offering me a choice. Mark rubs uncertainly at his arms. This isn't like the choice before, accept-this-relationship-or-face-punishment. This is a real choice. Neutrally presented. Resources, if he wants to go free, resources if he wants a family. Peace if he wants to go free, peace if he wants a family. No pushing him in either direction. ]
If I chose the second option. Would I...be tied to Barrayar? To your district? Or would I be able to leave?
no subject
What happens if he joins the House properly? Once this initial phase is passed? Because things won't always be like they are now - Mark understands that well. All of this shyness will fade in time, and their joy to have him; he'll become not Mark-our-new-son-and-brother but just Mark. And then what? Will Aral Vorkosigan be revealed to be casually brutish, the sort of father who does thoughtless injury to a son? Mark only has to look to Miles and Miles' adoration of his father to know that's not true. At least not true for Miles. Will he be kind, doting, overindulgent? Distant? Forceful?
But...a family. A home. People who...well. They might not love him, but they'd tolerate him, at least. Give him a place to lay his head. Give him resources. The only reason to turn that down would be if it came at some high cost...
And he's offering me a choice. Mark rubs uncertainly at his arms. This isn't like the choice before, accept-this-relationship-or-face-punishment. This is a real choice. Neutrally presented. Resources, if he wants to go free, resources if he wants a family. Peace if he wants to go free, peace if he wants a family. No pushing him in either direction. ]
If I chose the second option. Would I...be tied to Barrayar? To your district? Or would I be able to leave?