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Ivan has just recently been assigned to Earth. It's very cultural. He has already explained Vor to groups of natives four separate times. Some of them seem to find it really hilarious to call him Lord Vorpatril. He doesn't mind; some of those people are girls who giggle it and bat their eyelashes. He likes it here just fine.
After he finishes with his day-job duties (separate from attending diplomatic functions to stand around and look handsome) he attempts to let himself out of the room with the comconsole and all its data to sift through, only to find that the hallway has turned into a bar.
He looks over his shoulder. The office is still normal. Which is to say there are no other exits.
Ivan goes into the bar, squinting.
middlingalong
thisvorlunatic
"I live in hope. Which is a novel and interesting experience." He gets into the passenger seat.
middlingalong
"That would be the sort of thing that would convince one of having dreamt, yeah. I hope the hug managed to last you anyway. By the way, I apologize if I accidentally patronize you on account of your having been five earlier this afternoon."
thisvorlunatic
"Apology accepted in advance," he says, declining to comment on how well the hug did or did not last him.
middlingalong
"Good, because you were extremely tiny and growly and it was only a few hours ago. Hard to shake the first impression when it's that."
thisvorlunatic
"In retrospect I'm honestly surprised I didn't try to bite you or something. Five was that kind of year."
middlingalong
"Well, you didn't, as you can see from the fact that I have no lingering bite marks. You did get the shoulder of this uniform damp but by the time I had a spiel for th'captain ready it had dried enough I didn't think it was worth changing."
Ivan makes a turn to get out of gridlock traffic and accelerates.
Ivan makes a turn to get out of gridlock traffic and accelerates.
thisvorlunatic
"...Do you drive like this all the time?" he wonders, distracted from whatever else he was going to say.
middlingalong
"Drive like what?"
This is intended as a detour around the traffic; he's making a lot of turns to stay loosely parallel to the curving main artery.
This is intended as a detour around the traffic; he's making a lot of turns to stay loosely parallel to the curving main artery.
thisvorlunatic
"If you don't know what I'm talking about I'm guessing the answer is yes. Clearly Miles does like you or he would've had you assassinated by now. Or maybe he just knows better than to get in a vehicle with you."
middlingalong
"He usually does avoid it, come to think of it. I don't mean to say he doesn't like me at all, he just doesn't exude Ivan I am so glad you are here the way you appear to. I imagine that will wear off as my heroic rescue fades into the past. D'you need me to slow down lest you have a panic attack or something, I don't know how those work."
thisvorlunatic
"I'm fine, I told you, Miles doesn't get panic attacks. I will continue to be fine until I stop being Miles."
middlingalong
"Right then." Zoom, back onto the artery past the breakup of the traffic jam. Zoom zoom.
Presently they are back at the embassy.
Presently they are back at the embassy.
middlingalong
"And now I get to pitch the summary and write the novelization. You want to meet th'captain or get settled in my room while I debrief?"
thisvorlunatic
"Rather the second thing. I don't think I want to face even a relative of Galen's right now."
middlingalong
"Right then. We'll shuffle on past his door. Probably he's talking to the fellows I brought with me right now anyway."
Ivan leads the way, nodding politely at intervening security, and parks Mark in his room.
"Need anything before I go? Probably be about an hour, give or take."
Ivan leads the way, nodding politely at intervening security, and parks Mark in his room.
"Need anything before I go? Probably be about an hour, give or take."
thisvorlunatic
"No thanks, I'm fine. I might as well have my panic attack while you're out. If you come back and I'm curled up under a blanket totally dead to the world, feel free to ignore me until I emerge."
middlingalong
"Okay. You have fun with that. Have you outgrown hugs since earlier this afternoon? Feels rather off to leave you to have a panic attack without."
unmarred
Somewhere in the middle of cracking up and hugging back, he breaks character. It is pretty impossible to remain Miles while being pleased about Ivan scooping him up and hugging him.