person man, person man, hit on the head with a frying pan

[jacksonian]

WHO: Mark and whoever
WHERE: Everywhere!! But mostly De Chima and Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Throughout November
WHAT: Catch-all for November with stuff. Hit me up!! Please!!! Open prompts below; PM me if you want something that isn't these things.
WARNINGS: Mark's life sucks; I'll edit this header if any particular suckiness comes up.


1. dog dog dog dog dog dog dog; De Chima/Maurtia Falls
[ In De Chima or in Maurtia Falls, you might find a rather strange sight: a small stocky man walking an enormous stocky dog. This is Mark walking his dog Captain, a scarred and warlike pit bull that pulls at the leash and constantly wags his tail. Mark's expression is still a forbidding glower, but Captain's doggy face is open and bright-eyed and happy; there's no one he doesn't want to make friends with.

And Mark, unfortunately, doesn't know good leash technique, and also (in spite of his own roundness) doesn't outweigh his dog by that much. And so when Captain wants to make friends, Mark is dragged along behind him. And that is why, if you're walking around, you might be approached by a dog trailing a very sour-looking little man who's hissing - ]

No, don't - stop - heel -

2. come make $$$$; Maurtia Falls
[ PKE, LLC, up in Maurtia Falls, is beyond luxurious. The office is appointed with a sort of brushed-steel-and-pine classiness, like it's furnished from the expensive part of Ikea; the receptionist out front is attractive and aloof, and people who are waiting get offered mineral water from glass bottles.

There are any number of reasons that you might have ended up here: you might have received an advertisement in the mail, or a random notification on your phone, or you might have seen the advertising that targets imPorts. All of this advertising will have offered help in investing, getting rich, or opening a new business - generous funding to get everyone a little bit wealthier.

Mark, sitting at his desk, smiles a smile that can generously be described as oily when you're shown in. And he purrs - ]

Please, sit down. Tell me about how you'd like to make money.

3. kicking some grass; De Chima
[ Mark doesn't like to practice where he can be seen. Definitely not. So when he's worked up and anxious, he goes out far away from his family, far away from the people who know him, out into the forests of De Chima. On the unlikely off-chance that your character happens to wander by, they'll be treated to a very strange sight: a small fat man vigorously practicing a judo kata, face miserable, before punching a tree. He turns as soon as he hears them, though, eyes flashing with anger as he snarls - ]

What the hell are you doing here? Go away.

4. fuck it; anywhere
[ Mark's eating ice cream. Come have ice cream. ]

Comments

[jacksonian]

Oh. Um...

[ His face flushes just a little bit. He holds out his hands. The cuffs are made of polished wood set in a sterling-silver frame - the Vorkosigan colors, brown and silver, subtly done. He can't help but feel embarrassed - but also, obscurely, a little proud, too. ]

I...try to look nice. Always. It's important for the family to appear strong, after all. And in the financial world, I'm the face of the family.

[keep_nothing]

They do look nice, love. The wood makes it look expensive too, though that could just be Beta talking. I like them.

[jacksonian]

Yeah?

[ His face brightens. He, as ever, drinks in his mother's approval like someone dying of thirst. But someone dying of thirst who has had the good fortune to find himself collapsed next to a particularly bountiful fountain. ]

I liked them, too.

[ Then he clears his throat, indicating the way out of the room and down the stairs to the first floor - ]

Anyway. This way.

[keep_nothing]

[ She follows a couple steps behind, pausing only long enough to slide her sandles on before leaving her room. ]

[jacksonian]

[ He looks up at her as they walk, and then down again. He leads her out onto the grounds of the Residence, around and down a side path, into a part of the grounds that hasn't yet been landscaped. As he does, he says shyly: ]

I, uh...Winry said that she might be interested in...going on a date with me.

[keep_nothing]

[ Cordelia fights against the huge grin threatening to overtake her whole face, bears it down to a simple, pleased smile. She doesn't want to scare him off. ]

Yeah? What did you say back?

[jacksonian]

That...I might be interested too.

[ And then, in a desperate frantic little rush: ]

But I don't know how to go on a date with someone.

[keep_nothing]

Well, what do you think a date is?

[jacksonian]

Uh -

[ Good...question. ]

Kissing and...that sort of thing, right...?

[keep_nothing]

[ Don't laugh at your son, Cordelia, don't laugh—she lets out a small snort of laughter. Oops. ]

Sometimes it can, but it's really up to what you two decide to do. It's better to first establish what you want to do together before assuming anything.

[jacksonian]

Oh. Yeah.

[ He rubs his hand over his head, a little flustered but not offended by her laugh. ]

Um - what do you usually do with... [ There's a pause of several seconds here as he works up the courage to say: ] Father?

[ Belatedly, he realizes that question might be a terrible mistake. Please don't go all Betan, lady... ]

[keep_nothing]

[ Another laugh at the question, though she's deeply pleased at hearing him call Aral his father. ]

Is that something you really want me to answer?

[jacksonian]

[ He gives a cough that hopefully doesn't sound too much like choking. ]

Umm. I mean - just - how do you spend time with him. Not... [ No details. ]

[keep_nothing]

Good God, you shouldn't ask me, or your father for that matter, for advice in that department. Our first "date" was several days of marching on a newly discovered planet. But I can offer that you should actively talk with Winry to know what she wants to do with you. Open communication and dialogue about what the other wants.

[ There, that was a very Betan answer on the opposite end of the spectrum Mark was probably expecting. ]

[jacksonian]

[ Oh. Oh. That wasn't bad at all. ]

I, um...thought...Maybe dinner with her? People like that.

[ He thinks. ]

[keep_nothing]

Dinner's a good start. Maybe something with a wide variety since it sounded like Winry didn't travel a lot where she was from?

[jacksonian]

Oh. Yeah. A new experience. People like new experiences.

[keep_nothing]

Is there somewhere you haven't gone to yet? It can be new for both of you.

[jacksonian]

[ He pushes his hands into his pockets. There's a tiny hint of wonder in his voice when he responds: ]

There are dozens of places I haven't gone yet.

[ For a kid raised behind locked doors, the sheer amount of variety out in the world is mind-blowing. ]

[keep_nothing]

Then there you go. That's several dates worth, right?

You could even bring Ed with you to some new places too, y'know.

[jacksonian]

Yeah.

[ That makes him subside a little uneasily. ]

Winry...She said she wants to date him, too.

[ Which is...confusing. ]

[keep_nothing]

[ Her eyebrows go up. ]

Really.

[jacksonian]

Yeah. Which makes me worry that she's just...She just doesn't want to hurt my feelings.

[keep_nothing]

[ She waves a hand, dismissing that notion immediately. ]

Winry is a kind girl, but she wouldn't lead you down the wrong path like that. If she says something, she means it.

[jacksonian]

[ A little quietly: ]

It just doesn't seem possible. That anyone would want... [ Me. ] This.