November catch-all

[vorbarra]

WHO: Gregor Vorbarra and some random people.
WHERE: Various
WHEN: Still various
WHAT: Some assorted stuff-- PM me or PP me at chirality if you'd like a thread! All are welcome, including new CR!
WARNINGS: None so far.

Comments

MILES

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor had fretted for a while on what to get Miles for his birthday, a date he'd calculated the Terran equivalent of some time ago, but in the end it's impossible to top Penny gift-wise and he decides not to try. In true Gregor spirit, when using his money to spoil someone fails, he goes for heartfelt and poignant.

For months they've more often slept in the same bed than apart, and this morning when Gregor, as usual, wakes up first-- used to early morning wake up calls for security briefings-- he goes downstairs and comes right back up, still in his pyjamas of simple t-shirt and lounge pants, accompanied by coffee and scones. (He did not make the scones. He brought them home from work the night before.)

He sips at his coffee in bed as he waits for Miles to wake up, reviewing his decision and feeling faintly nervous about it, but in an excited, jittery way. He realizes he's probably never going to fully get past his romantic nerves, no matter how solid he feels in the relationship, not for years.

He forever feels clumsy and shy by turns... and the request he wants to make as his birthday gift makes him no less so. ]

[dendarii]

[ Miles usually sleeps in later than Gregor does, mostly because he also likes to stay up later than his boyfriend. And also because he enjoys the feeling of waking up luxuriously slowly, either curled up with Gregor directly or just warm in the bed next to him. This morning is no exception. He stirs towards wakefulness slowly, he last of his (unremarkable) dreams scudding away like clouds at the beginning of a clear day. ]

Morning, Gregor.

[ Is that coffee he smells? Opening one bleary eye confirms that yes, there are coffee and scones in addition to his boyfriend here. Yes, that's worth sitting up for. He does so, stretching out his delicate joints carefully, and then reaching to claim one of those tasty looking pastries. ]

You were up early. What's the occasion?

[vorbarra]

Hmmm, think hard and it might come to you, [ he teases cryptically, with a quirk to his lips as he continues to sip his coffee.

Gregor is too patient to rush him to wakefulness, or realization. ]

[dendarii]

[ It takes him a moment. And at least half a scone. ]

-- Oh. I forgot we'd recalculated it. God, this place's calendar gives me such a headache.

[ But he brightens cheerfully over the link. Realizing today is your birthday is always a nice surprise. ]

[vorbarra]

[ And even more of a surprise than usual, on Earth. ]

Yes. Happy Birthday, you are now... twenty-six? [ he hazards. ] Well past birthdays which mean anything, but enough to celebrate.

[dendarii]

Twenty-six. [ Miles repeats the word, suddenly glowing with amusement over the link as realization hits him. ] That makes me older than you, Gregor.

[vorbarra]

[ Dryly, ] Enjoy your one month of seniority. I'm sure our dynamic will change considerably.

[ If there's one thing that hasn't changed since Miles left, aged, and returned, it's how things are between them, a solid touchstone. ]

[dendarii]

[ Consequently, Miles just laughs at that. And feeds himself another scone. ]

Oh, yes. Just like I've suddenly become much more mature now that I'm technically older.

[vorbarra]

Some things haven't changed about you at all, as far as I can tell.

[ He watches him eat with a sort of quiet warmth, and an echo of those fluttering nerves. ]

So... I did have a plan for us today, if you're amenable to it.

BEL & KITTY

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor and Kitty arrive together, Gregor more grateful than ever that conservative male clothing choices are staid and generic everywhere. His thin black sweater and gray slacks don't look that much different than those he'd wear at home at a casual venue, apart from the material and some subtle lines. He feels oddly more Barrayaran than ever encountering a galactic who hasn't spent any time there, but knows of it. Captain Thorne is the first real non-Imperial they've received.

Although he still isn't quite sure how to handle this, he feels better having Kitty with him for it, who he expects will effectively act as a shield from putting Gregor on the spot just by virtue of how outspoken and interested she is. He's always relieved to have either of his more gregarious partners around to divert attention from him, and Bel Thorne has considerable attention. ]

I see them, [ he notes as they approach, seeing the herm seated outside in the balmy fall Floridian weather. The late evening is cast with shadows from the golden-orange setting sun and the braziers set outside by the restaurant, more for light than heat. It's a charming, if not romantic, atmosphere, whether they were looking for that or not.

Gregor is so habitually gentlemanly that he doesn't think twice before stepping aside to gesture Kitty in ahead of him. ]

[rathercommon]

[ And Kitty's eyes light up with eager interest as they fall on this newcomer. Anyone from that universe is interesting to Kitty - someone from Beta, that place that sounds like a bloody dream come true, is even better. And Kitty likes what she's heard of Bel so far, too. They seem irreverent. Inviting just Kitty and Gregor, no Miles? That's got to be torment for the man, and Kitty has more than a bit of fondness for the occasional tormenting...

Kitty's not really dressed up for the occasion: she's in trousers, a dark cloth jacket over a white shirt, red kerchief tied around her neck. Closest to her true sense of style - she's approaching Bel Thorne with more honesty than she shows to most people she's meeting for the first time. ]

Them - [ She repeats after Gregor, trying to fix the pronoun in her head. Then she smiles, joining them at the table. ]

Hullo there. Bel, right?

[shipmaster]

[On the other hand, Bel has not done a damn thing to be conservative at all. The cheery yellow women's blouse is a eye catching splash of color across the men's blazer and red cuffed dress pants. Somehow, it all comes together.

They reach out to clasp both of their hands in turn.]

Gregor! And you must be Kitty. I'm so glad you took me up on this.

[vorbarra]

[ Seeing Bel present more female today is more disorienting than anything else. Gregor is progressive, for a Barrayaran, which means he has nowhere near the Betan ability to take in things out of the binary-driven norm without blinking.

But he does little more than blink, too diplomatic to be rude, and shakes their hand. ] How could I not? I don't expect I'll ever encounter you again at home-- not if I'm fortunate, at least, [ he jokes, meaning he hopes he doesn't have to be in a situation again where the Emperor has to meet the Dendarii personally. ]

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty hasn't been sufficiently briefed about the interconnected rings of relationships; she blinks in surprise at Gregor, then mutters to him - ]

Gregor, that's a little unkind, isn't it. [ Then, to Bel, she extends her own hand: ] And yeah. Kitty Jones. It's a pleasure.

[shipmaster]

[The first sign that there might be more to that than insult might be the expression on Bel's face. Like someone trying to bite the inside of their lips.]

Oh certainly. For one, I don't think you'll pass for a bleak man anymore.

[And back to Kitty, they smile brightly, taking their hand briefly. The handshake is firm, athlete or warrior-strong.]

Not half as much as mine. I was afraid I would die of curiosity.

Shall we get our seat? I've heard good things about this place.

[vorbarra]

[ He snorts. ] That was awful, Captain. But yes, thank you.

[ Gregor follows them over toward the table and offers to Kitty as he goes, ] The only possible circumstances the Emperor of Barrayar would have to meet any Dendarii other than Miles are bad ones. My social circles are fairly limited. [ To say the least. Rarefied is more accurate. ]

[rathercommon]

Oh. Right. [ She feels a little prickle of embarrassment, but shrugs it off. ] I always forget about that rubbish. [ That rubbish, of course, being that the man she's dating rules three whole planets. It's not so hard to do, outside of the Residence - hell, even inside the Residence, most of the time.

Then, to Bel, as she sits: ]

So - what's your rank in the Dendarii, then? Are you very close to Miles? Did you know about all of his rubbish before you came here?

[mostlysunny]

[When Wendy had taken over the Lucky Cat and moved to Heropa, Kara had been sad to see her go...for about ten seconds, before she remembered it would be pretty easy for her to become a regular there. So that's what she'd been doing before she'd gone home, and now that she's back, she's back at the Lucky Cat too, quieter and with barely a trace of her glow, but back. And as a few weeks go by, she's getting used to her new reality and the glow starts coming back.

Hazelnut lattes are her usual, but she changes her order too often for it to be a formal usual. She's thinking about trying the macadamia nut latte instead, and trying not to think about this as her first visit to Heropa without her glasses, and with her hair down around her face, just like Supergirl wears it. No one cares, she tells herself, no one will even notice, but she feels like everyone is staring and it makes her scurry to the front counter.]

Hi Greg, is Wendy here?

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor notices the difference in her appearance, but only because he's been trained -- unfortunately extensively -- in how to make polite small talk with socialites, and comments on appearance are an easy one. He's also smart enough to know not to make a comment on a change in a woman's appearance if he's not prepared to make it an overt compliment, and he doesn't know Kara well enough to go complimenting her. So, as it is, it stays unremarked.

Certainly he has no clue about anything remotely super. ]

Hello, Kara, [ he greets courteously, in his polished, vaguely Russian accent. Gregor never quite manages to be a conventional barista: he holds himself like he's receiving an audience even as he pulls espresso and each standard exchange of small talk becomes something gracious and attentive. ]

Sorry, she isn't in today. We're a bit understaffed at the moment, as we get some new hires, so it's just me. [ Which anyone else would probably find stressful but Gregor is just serene about. ]

[mostlysunny]

Oh no, do you need help? [Of course it's Kara's first instinct to ask if she can help. She's never worked behind a counter, but there must be something she can do. ...well, maybe.] I, um, I don't really know how to make espresso stuff, but I can definitely deliver drinks with the best of them!

[Although as she looks around, it doesn't look too busy. And Greg, as always, appears to be completely unruffled. And manages to put her at ease without even trying, not drawing attention to the new look but not going out of his way to not mention it, it's amazing. She sighs and leans against the counter and gestures to all of him.] You're always so relaxed, how do you do that?

[vorbarra]

[ He smiles very slightly. ] Long practice, and learning how to fake it. [ The Emperor can't have a hair out of place without consequences, at least not one with a long family history if instability -- violent and cruel instability. Gregor by personality is a reserved person to start with, which gives him a good basis on which to build his public persona. ]

And thank you, but I'll manage. If you'd like to deliver a few I won't say no, but it's not necessary. Though we are hiring if you're looking.

[mostlysunny]

[Long practice and learning how to fake it sounds like most of her teens on Earth. Pretend to be normal, make sure no one knows she's different. Let's just skate right past that idea and into something lighter.]

That's so funny, I just got a job offer the other day, from—well, from the Monarch, and it was to be a henchwoman. [She wrinkles her nose.] That. Wasn't really a job offer.

[vorbarra]

To be a henchwoman? [ he repeats, blinking. Just when he thinks he's heard everything here... Gregor will never quite shake his hard sci fi, realistic background. ]

To someone calling themselves the Monarch. I can see why you considered it substandard. [ Jokingly, ] I am a monarch, but I swear I don't ask people to be henches.

[mostlysunny]

I mean, at least he was offering equal opportunity henching? But, um, yeah, I'm not really...hench material, I'm more the 'beats up the henches' material. ...if I. Did that kind of thing. Which obviously I don't. You're a monarch? Did I know you were a monarch?

[Let's talk about that instead and not Kara's almost-slip, she's not ready to come out of the cape-closet yet.]

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor continues to look sanguine and oblivious. One is rather close to the other. He's relied extensively on hiding his sharp attention to detail behind a bland exterior, and never minds when anyone else underestimates him. It just makes his job easier.

In fact, he looks fairly abashed as he answers, though unconsciously, his accent thickens. More High Vor than usual. ] Perhaps not. You might be the only one that doesn't, [ he says with some note of rueful despair. ] I'm the emperor of three planets, actually. But please don't let that, ah, alter anything.