October Catch-All

[dendarii]

WHO: Miles, various
WHERE: Various as well!
WHEN: October
WHAT: Catch-all plus open prompts as time/inclination arises
WARNINGS: The usual VKS ones. Probably some discussion of suicide.

Comments

EARLY OCTOBER

[dendarii]

[ Welp, Miles sure fucked that one up. It's taken him way too long to realize he needs to make an apology to begin with (likely after some yelling sessions in fact), and longer after that to find the right words. In the end he decides to throw caution to the wind and just kind of go for it.

It helps that he has other things to ask, so he may as well do both at once. He knocks on Mark's door a little after noon, holding a plate of pastries as a peace offering. ]

Mark? It's me, Miles.

[jacksonian]

[ Mark can't deny being home. It's too obvious that he is. And also, frankly, he's still pissed enough that he doesn't care to use methods that spare Miles' feelings. So he calls back through the door: ]

Go away.

[dendarii]

[ That's pretty fair reaction, all things considered. He sighs softly and leans up against his side of the door. ]

You have every right to be angry with me. Would you let me in so that I can apologize to you?

[jacksonian]

[ Tightly: ]

I don't have any use for an apology.

[dendarii]

Then I'll take it as another favor if you took it anyway. [ More softly: ] Please, Mark.

[jacksonian]

[ A pause, and then finally the sound of footsteps. Then there's a rattle as Mark unlocks his door - though he doesn't open it. ]

EARLY OCTOBER, Tex

[dendarii]

[ This has been a week. Happily, the part he'd been most concerned about has been resolved, leaving him feeling quite light in response. Gregor knows what he's after and why he's after it. And there are no qualms about the plan thus far even if neither of them are quite ready for the commitment side of it. Perfectly fine for now. Miles is just energized having a direction.

The next step, then, is reaching out to the people he needs to get things done. Mark is high on that list, as is Baelish. But before anything else is Tex. She needs to know before he makes any significant progress on this one. As such, he sends her a quick text on Sunday afternoon: ]

I've got a bottle of your favorite. Meet me in the dining room?

[failureisntachoice]

[ The text catches her in the middle of cleaning her guns. Either he's requesting her presence for an important meeting or he wants to shoot the shit. Whichever it is, she's cleaning up her space as she sends back, ]

Be there in five.

[ A moment later she's heading into the main house and toward the dining room, ready to find out just what's going on. ] So, bribing me for something or feeling generous?

[dendarii]

[ He'll have the classes out and the alcohol poured by the time she arrives. Clearly, at least some element of a bribe is here. ]

A little of both. But I do have a favor to ask.

[failureisntachoice]

[ Yeah, she can tell by how he's laying everything out. She glances down at the glasses for only a moment before focusing on him. ]

Well? How big of one are you asking for?

[dendarii]

[ How big is the favor? Well ... ]

Smaller than most, but not insignificant. [ A pause. ] I'm running for Ambassador.

10/10-ish, Aral

[dendarii]

[ Thatcould have gone better. But it also could have gone worse, and Miles knows every bit of that conversation is his own damned fault. Nothing to do except move forward. And wrap up this one loose end...

Miles takes a deep breath. And knocks on the door to his father's room. ]

Da? I need your help with something.

[use_everything]

Come.

[His parent's room is becoming far more lived in as the months go by. Aral's touches are particularly austere, simple and economical. Maps, books, and tools - in this world, pens, but also work on the recharging of the battery cells. The plasma arc is on the desk in by his right hand... In the future, the placement would be the same, but the weapon the more gentle stunner.

Cordelia's touches softened the room, gave it color and life. The wardrobe was brighter, mementos more whimsical - though still packed and placed like someone who spent their lives on a ship.

Speaking of color, Aral has found a shirt composed mostly of browns and silvers... except for the ferns and bright red hawaiian flowers.]

What is it?

[dendarii]

[ Oh, god. That's blinding. All the more so for the rest of the shirt being relatively calm. If Miles weren't on a serious errand, he'd laugh.

Well, he's still going to comment a little anyway. ]

Where on earth did you buy that?

[use_everything]

[It's a glorious ode to bad taste. Aral rubs his chin, expression lightening a little.]

There is a small market on 23rd Street in Heropa. It was marked down 80 percent, by some wonder.

[dendarii]

I can't imagine why. Its siblings must have flown off the shelves.

[ He finds a chair to sit in, turning it so that he can sort of fold himself up in it and still face his father. ]

LATE OCTOBER

[dendarii]

[ At some point later in the month, Hermann gets a text: ]

Weren't you looking into getting a house? ... Would you like to come see ours?

[mathemagier]

Oh, yes. We haven't decided on a floor plan exactly; neither of us are architects, but I think a tour could assist with inspiration if you don't mind.

[dendarii]

By all means. I'll order something in for us if you bring a bottle of wine?

[ Maybe they don't want to stay for dinner. Jeez, Miles. ]

[mathemagier]

Sounds lovely. It's been awhile since we've had any sort of outing with friends and I think Newton could use a bit of cheer.

[dendarii]

Cheer I can provide in excess. Meet you here in an hour?

[ The food will take at least that long to get here. ]

[mathemagier]

[A little more than hour and a half after their conversation wraps up, their car pulls up. Off-road, the gravel stops crunching, and the wheels turn in as hover takes over and smoothly parks without trouble.

It's a sweet ride colored a dark maroon, and no one in any universe expects a sports car out of stuffy Dr. Gottlieb.

But lo, it's Dr. Gottlieb and his arguably more rockstar fiance that emerge from the car with a bottle of wine and bickering about speed limits in the country, approach the front door.]

Really, there's no reason for concern, it has perfectly functional failsafes built into it.

[dendarii]

[ Miles happily greets them at the door. The house is huge, of course, with flares of gothic style courtesy of Ed's fondness for bombast. He eyes the car with no small amount of envy. ]

That is a beautiful machine.

[driftsintobuffetline]

[Newt looks moderately agitated--for Newt--as he greets Miles]

It'd look even better if he slowed it down a bit on the curves. I swear, this guy drives like he's in a high speed chase.

How're you? Nice place. Kind of...uh...not what I pictured a family of space royals to live in. I was thinking more, I don't know. Star Trek.

[mathemagier]

[Yes okay there's a little preening. For once, it's Hermann that's more chipper of the two]

Thank you. I can give you the number of the garage I had it built at if you'd like.

[Hermann offers up the wine bottle]

Does the whole of your family live here? It's positively massive.