& OPEN NSFW POST ( i. )

[aeneia]

NSFW OPEN POST ( I. )
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[komarran]

[ Her fingertips on him have him stop. His breath catches in his throat as he watches her. What could she possibly-- ]

It made you sure of something? [ he repeats, cautiously. ]

[mahalakshmi]

[ Ah - it's so little a thing. To stop someone with just a touch. To have that look etched on his features. Hadn't been sure, until Miles corrected her notions. That he wasn't an obvious man at all. Subtle and oblivious were a frustrating mix. ]

Yes.

[ Her fingers don't move away, then slip. up to the corner of his mouth, so very close to him. Feel the warmth of his breath, barely has to shut her eyes to draw up how his fingers felt on the curve of her spine. Her forefinger settled there, at the edge of his lip, her mouth parting in some unconscious response before as suddenly she steps away from him like nothing at all had happened.

To do as he had done for her the first day she had appeared tumbled on his proverbial door step. The way she had learned to with his help, she raises an arm to hail down a cab for them both. Easy thing about being glittering and strange, it doesn't take too long before she catches one. ]

[komarran]

[ His gaze lingers on her, unable to pull himself away. Had she been about to--?

No. That couldn't be possible. If she had any interest in him beyond friendship, he hadn't seen it. Not that he had ever figured out the romance/dating game with how spectacularly he had failed with Laisa. That would still stung and had put him off from trying.

He keeps himself a step back as he watches her hail a cab and he moves to open the door for her. That was simple, it was easy and made sense unlike her touch from moments before. ]

[mahalakshmi]

[ She shifts in, and she still isn't sure if she likes them, but at least she's gotten used to the feeling of moving without moving. Arranging her skirts neatly around her and not saying anything. Let him just sit there wondering what she was going to do, then. That warm giddiness for seeing the look on his face was - enough she thinks, and turns her face away to bite at her lip in an odd sort of prickling feeling. ]

[komarran]

[ The silence is worrisome. Had he misstepped somewhere else this evening? He frowns as he keeps his eyes forward though he's watching her in his peripheral vision. ]

Did I do something wrong?

[mahalakshmi]

[ She turns back to him, the soft fall of material not lifted and she smiles behind it. Barely kept mirth in her voice. Oh, he worried so, sometimes. Far be it for her to alleviate him straight away. ]

I've had a wonderful evening.

[komarran]

[ Reassuring or a brush off so he would feel better until they returned home. Duv's not sure which would be better. He sighs as he slumps heavily in his seat. ]

I'm glad. I was worried the Vor would be too much.

[mahalakshmi]

[ She smooths her fingers along the material of her skirt. Feeling the bumps of embroidery between the set of her rings and chains. Letting the material be its own comfort. His worry though, makes her laugh. ]

Them? [ She laughs, quickly come as gone. ] I've met thousands of them. They do not bother me.

[komarran]

[ His shoulders slump with relief. At least that had not been off-putting to her though he recalls the time limit that seemed to be informally set. ]

So long as we leave before the drunken brawls begin? [ he asks, teasing lightly. ]

[mahalakshmi]

[ She flicks her fingers dismissively. ]

For the best, I'm sure, I do not want to have my first evening spent breaking some young man's nose. For one thing, these clothes are new, and blood only goes with so many things.

[komarran]

[ He chuckles lightly at that. ]

Fair point, [ he concedes. ] You are welcome to pick what you want to do one of these nights, since I did steal an evening of yours.

[mahalakshmi]

[ It's too tempting, really, just to see how much he would let her - but it is a want, a genuine one, it's been an age since she ever got to organize anything at all that wasn't shipments of supplies and lines of attack. ]

I would like to throw my own gathering. The way I am used to them. Lord Vorkosigan said he would love to see it.

[komarran]

[ And he had been thinking she'd want a night out at the theater. Not to throw a party. The fact that Miles is involved doesn't surprise him in the least. ]

Did he offer you the use of Vorkosigan House?

[mahalakshmi]

[ Oh the poor man, she should stop being so terrible to him. But it's her private pay back for own frustrations of him not noticing a single hint she'd given him. ]

He did, he made think it was possible at all. He will have to speak to his own family first, so I understand, all the same. [ A hum. ] I will need you to show me how to use the... light books again.

[ Datapad just felt like a made up word, no matter how much she kept trying to say it. ] He guessed, I think, that I am not what I say I am. Or what others have said of me. He is quite clever.

[komarran]

Wonderful. I would recommend against letting him have any hand in planning it or he'll take over.

[ As Miles often does. The man had a strong personality and he didn't take no for an answer. ]

What did he say exactly to make you think he knew more?

[mahalakshmi]

[ That is an assurance she can easily give, waving her fingers dismissively. ] Oh no, he could not. He might help, but he would not know a good Lavani song if he heard one. Nor does he know anything about spices to prepare dishes with. I would need weeks, to start preparing, so it will be some time.

[ Her own mirth there. He might try, and she might just enjoy watching them flounder like she did trying to get used to all these buttons and magically appearing items. ]

He... seemed quite astute in picking out the holes in my tale of merely seeking political asylum from a place no one has ever heard of on Barrayar. I did not tell him anything more than I told anyone else, but that was apparently enough for him.

[komarran]

You may have difficulties finding some of what you want, [ he warns. The realization that he would be more than happy to help track anything she needs down for her is startling, but he would. ]

Miles is observant. Anything you tell him would be safely kept. [ Duv learned that the hard way. Miles had become a good friend in the years after Earth. Funny how much easier the man was to get along with when he wasn't his subordinate. ]

[mahalakshmi]

You trust him so much?

[ If he did, then that was it. That was the only thing that mattered, she would take his own good opinion as her own. Moreover, it helped her make her feel somewhat less giddy. ]

[komarran]

I do. We shared enough during our time on Earth for him to have earned it.

[ Almost dying together would do that. ]

[mahalakshmi]

I see.

[ No wonder then, that he had intervened on Duv's behalf, she falls quiet again when she feels the car come to a stop. Miles evidently trusted him just as much. Would do all kinds of things for him. Not that she could find fault in that, she clearly would too.

She smiles briefly as she gets out of the car, her skirts gathered in one hand so that she did not trip on them, patiently waiting to be let up with him the way she's gotten used to. Habit forming, even if she could not believe how easily it had been. ]

[komarran]

[ It's without a second thought that he steps out of the car and offers her his hand to help her out. Habit forming and not just for her. He's grown accustomed to escorting her and he would gladly continue to do so back to his flat. ]

I have a feeling he'd be happy to host us if you wanted to pay him a visit and see the venue for your future event.

[mahalakshmi]

[ Her arm links through his, just the same as every other time. A polite goodbye given to the driver before she turns to walk with him. ]

Well, when you find your time spare, yes I should like that. I will be meeting with the Komarran women. Perhaps they could help me, as well. [ She'd want them to come, they had taken care of her so well, taught her much - helped her navigate like she was one of their own in their small way, even if it had taken her time to coax them to not be so worried about Duv's uniform. ] Did you want to clean up first? I will, well, take a little bit of time to unravel all this.

[ Which was as good an excuse as any to get him out of the way. ]

[komarran]

[ His brows furrow as he glances over at her. ]

Who are you intending to invite to your gathering? [ Was she planning on it being a Komarran affair? Reports for it would no doubt end up on his desk afterward.

Once he has his answer, he watches her for a moment longer before nodding and disentangling their arms. ] I won't take long, [ he promises before heading into the bathroom. ]

[mahalakshmi]

Those who have been kind to me, that is all. [ A small list, thus far, but varied. She made friends quickly, she always had, and she encouraged that kindness as she could amongst them. She wasn't particularly discerning as to the background of them in particular.

Which no doubt, would only make a far more complicated report for him to deal with.

Let him think about then, as she watches him go - she's doesn't want him thinking about it now. Thinks please don't, as he promises not to take too long. Her fingers shifting to undo her hair as she moves. This isn't quite as she liked, perhaps. Might like to draw it all out for a whole day - but she could never be sure of her time anymore. Soak herself and oil her skin to smell sweet, to be soft as she knew how to be. It's own kind of ceremony, in a way. Padding quietly on bare toes, that half burned in feeling on her skin of his fingers upon it, even if it had been light, respectful, always respectful of her. Viciously, she thought he would be a little less so, sometimes. She wasn't going to break if he gripped her a little harder.

But no - he's oblivious, Miles had said, one of the most observant men I've met, and yet - . Well, she had best give him something to observe but not at all be able to misunderstand. She wasn't known for being subtle or drawing things out. Why would it now be the case? No, no, fighting down a bit of maybe hysterical laughter by sinking her teeth into lip, she began to unwind her clothes from herself. Padding on her bare feet after she takes her shoes off, after him into his bedroom that she had been commandeering for months now. That from time to time, she caught half glimpses of him undressed and enjoyed far too much the sight of.

So that when he did come out, she was waiting for him. Wrapped up in a sheet, drawn up over her hips and chest, her jewellery on still, and not much else, posed carefully on the bed. A jut of bare skin against the material, making it clear she hoped, even for him, about what she was offering. The length of her hair pulled over her shoulder, hanging loose, her toes curling up absently on the material in a little shiver of cold. Painted in the same kind swirling patterns as her hands and wrists were, the henna dye staining her skin. Waiting patiently there for him, as she heard the water turn on and then off again, his movements in the bathroom and when the door opened, she's there, her and nothing else. ]

Captain. [ Just a word, nothing else, to make it clear to him that this wasn't a mistake he'd just walked in on. Didn't put it past him at this point. ]

[komarran]

[ Duv thinks nothing of what she's doing while he's showering. It's a moment alone, a chance for him to catch his breath and transition into the end portion of the evening. Soon he'd be able to lay down and sleep.

So he assumes when he steps out of the shower and changes into a loose fitting t-shirt and shorts. He'd forgo the latter if he still lived alone, but since her arrival he's made it a habit to not force any accidental immodesty. They had to share this space and he would hate to make it worse. He steps out into his bedroom and--

Any thoughts he had of laying down go out the window when he sees her. What in the hell was she doing? Did she realize he still had to walk through the bedroom to get back to the living room where he'd been sleeping since she got here?

There's a long moment where he gapes slightly before he quickly averts his gaze and his cheeks flush. ] My apologies, I did not realize you were--

[ He falters there because he can't imagine what she would have been doing. ]