Mark Pierre Vorkosigan / "Peter Kane" (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jacksonian) wrote2016-03-05 11:05 am
jacksonian) wrote2016-03-05 11:05 am
Entry tags:
contact post
[ voice / video / text / in-person ]
[ Just peeing his pants a moment, don't mind him... ]
Uh - experience?
Uh - experience?
Wait - you didn't Deal for more? He just sent you the amount he thought was right?
[Probably not helped as Aral's tone takes a slightly sharper edge here.]
Business. You've no military, as you say. Gregor hadn't mentioned your history.
Business. You've no military, as you say. Gregor hadn't mentioned your history.
[ Slowly approaching a panic...But not so much of one that he doesn't still have a firm grasp on his cover story. ]
Uh, yeah. I was a student back home. Business. That's about it. But I traded stocks on the side, too...
Uh, yeah. I was a student back home. Business. That's about it. But I traded stocks on the side, too...
Hm. [The little vocalization doesn't give much.]
Successfully, I imagine. I look forward to seeing what you can do.
Successfully, I imagine. I look forward to seeing what you can do.
Oh.
[ There's a suspicious little hesitation, because - could that really be it? It was really an inquiry, and not an inquisition? ]
Yeah. Uh - have you taken a look at your portfolio yet? You're all doing really well now.
[ There's a suspicious little hesitation, because - could that really be it? It was really an inquiry, and not an inquisition? ]
Yeah. Uh - have you taken a look at your portfolio yet? You're all doing really well now.
[ At some point after he starts working with Gregor and taking on the Dendarii finances, Mark gets a text message: ]
Hi Peter, you up for lunch today?
Hi Peter, you up for lunch today?
[ Why...? He looks down at the text and wonders what she wants. Why she'd be asking this. How much does she remember? How much has she told? He's afraid of Countess Vorkosigan - terrified of her, completely and utterly, and knows he should pretend to be busy. That would be the only smart thing.
But he remembers that warmth, that kindness - that apparently unfeigned maternal love...Apparently unfeigned, of course it was fake - it had to be fake, obviously - no one actually feels that for him...But there's an ache of longing in his hands, a desperate need. And so he types back - and immediately regrets it - ]
I don't have obligations. Why?
But he remembers that warmth, that kindness - that apparently unfeigned maternal love...Apparently unfeigned, of course it was fake - it had to be fake, obviously - no one actually feels that for him...But there's an ache of longing in his hands, a desperate need. And so he types back - and immediately regrets it - ]
I don't have obligations. Why?
[ Her reply is quick in response. ]
Meet at the all you can eat in De Chima?
Meet at the all you can eat in De Chima?
[ All you can eat...Is that a jab at his appetite? Or just kindness? He finds that he doesn't care, so much. He's hungry. Really hungry. ]
Yeah. At noon?
Yeah. At noon?
[He knows this part of the conversation. He knows this part of the conversation very well. As his father had gotten older, he had gleefully handed off dealing with the House finances to Aral.
This is the part that veers sharply into investments, options, bonds and futures. He had studied it all. It was a part of his education as well as something one simply needed for making sure the military and ministers weren't hiding peculation in the middle of terms and liquid fund shuffling.
It didn't mean he liked it.]
Ah. No. I believe Gregor has that aspect. [The perks of no longer being at the top. Thank god.]
This is the part that veers sharply into investments, options, bonds and futures. He had studied it all. It was a part of his education as well as something one simply needed for making sure the military and ministers weren't hiding peculation in the middle of terms and liquid fund shuffling.
It didn't mean he liked it.]
Ah. No. I believe Gregor has that aspect. [The perks of no longer being at the top. Thank god.]
[ what even are those, why is this happening
He shows up on time. He looks awkward, of course - because when does he not look awkward, a mixture of uncomfortable and sullen and irritable and defiant at all times - slumping next to the door of the restaurant. He looks up every time someone comes near him, and then immediately looks away, trying to hide the fact that he was checking every single face, trying to hide the fact that he's anticipating the moment that Countess Vorkosigan shows up.
Belatedly - very belatedly - about ten seconds before she comes up to greet him - the thought occurs to him: What if she brings her husband? It's a terrifying enough thought that he looks up, preparing to run - and then there she is. ]
He shows up on time. He looks awkward, of course - because when does he not look awkward, a mixture of uncomfortable and sullen and irritable and defiant at all times - slumping next to the door of the restaurant. He looks up every time someone comes near him, and then immediately looks away, trying to hide the fact that he was checking every single face, trying to hide the fact that he's anticipating the moment that Countess Vorkosigan shows up.
Belatedly - very belatedly - about ten seconds before she comes up to greet him - the thought occurs to him: What if she brings her husband? It's a terrifying enough thought that he looks up, preparing to run - and then there she is. ]
Yeah. Right.
[ Why does he want the Butcher to be aware of how well they're doing with their money? That doesn't make any sense. None at all. But for some reason, the fact that Aral Vorkosigan hasn't taken a look at the finances, and seen how much their investments have grown, feels like a vise around his neck. Stupid. If Aral Vorkosigan looks at the finances, he'll know a little more about the clone, won't he? He'll know the clone's aptitudes. And the less he knows, the better. The less he knows, the less likely he'll guess, and then the less likely it'll be that he'll come and torture and kill the traitor in their midst. It's good that he's disinterested.
And yet. ]
Gregor...did one of his unbreakable oaths on me. [ Shut up, shut up, stop chattering. ] So I'm - uh - compelled never to cheat you. Or steal from you. So you never have to be afraid of that. [ Why are you stuttering? Stop saying um all the time. ]
[ Why does he want the Butcher to be aware of how well they're doing with their money? That doesn't make any sense. None at all. But for some reason, the fact that Aral Vorkosigan hasn't taken a look at the finances, and seen how much their investments have grown, feels like a vise around his neck. Stupid. If Aral Vorkosigan looks at the finances, he'll know a little more about the clone, won't he? He'll know the clone's aptitudes. And the less he knows, the better. The less he knows, the less likely he'll guess, and then the less likely it'll be that he'll come and torture and kill the traitor in their midst. It's good that he's disinterested.
And yet. ]
Gregor...did one of his unbreakable oaths on me. [ Shut up, shut up, stop chattering. ] So I'm - uh - compelled never to cheat you. Or steal from you. So you never have to be afraid of that. [ Why are you stuttering? Stop saying um all the time. ]
[ Thankfully for Mark she is alone, no Count with her today. But when she spots him and meets his eyes, her face lights up with a smile that reaches her eyes, the corners of them crinkling with it. She strides up to him with no hesitation in her steps at all. ]
Hey Peter, thank you for accepting lunch with me. I thought we should talk since we hadn't for a while.
Hey Peter, thank you for accepting lunch with me. I thought we should talk since we hadn't for a while.
Uh - yeah.
[ He doesn't smile in return. Of course not - genuine smiles aren't really in his repertoire. But he does lift his eyebrows at her, and study her face, and observe that apparent genuine pleasure she has at seeing him, and he does try to capture that image to remember later.
Which - stupid. Obviously. She's just smiling because he looks like her son. That's just how great her love for Miles is, that she'll smile even at a malevolent little creature that looks like him. Right? ]
Thanks. I'll pay, obviously.
[ He hopes she doesn't fight him on it. He thinks if he pays for this lunch, for both of them, it'll ease a little of his anxiety and misery. Somehow. ]
[ He doesn't smile in return. Of course not - genuine smiles aren't really in his repertoire. But he does lift his eyebrows at her, and study her face, and observe that apparent genuine pleasure she has at seeing him, and he does try to capture that image to remember later.
Which - stupid. Obviously. She's just smiling because he looks like her son. That's just how great her love for Miles is, that she'll smile even at a malevolent little creature that looks like him. Right? ]
Thanks. I'll pay, obviously.
[ He hopes she doesn't fight him on it. He thinks if he pays for this lunch, for both of them, it'll ease a little of his anxiety and misery. Somehow. ]
Oh, I was going to offer since I was invited you.
[ She raises her eyebrows, withholding insistence as she judges his reaction. ]
[ She raises her eyebrows, withholding insistence as she judges his reaction. ]
I have the money for it.
[ Recognize me, recognize my ability to earn, recognize that I'm intelligent and wealthy and powerful, recognize that I can take care of people just like Miles can but in a different way that's maybe even more important, dammit - ]
Let me take care of it.
[ Recognize me, recognize my ability to earn, recognize that I'm intelligent and wealthy and powerful, recognize that I can take care of people just like Miles can but in a different way that's maybe even more important, dammit - ]
Let me take care of it.
[ He relaxes. His expression grows even less sullen and gloomy. And he nods. ]
Okay. Let's, uh, go in, then?
Okay. Let's, uh, go in, then?
Sure.
[ He slumps inside. As he's making his way in, he asks: ]
So, uh...Did you need to talk about something in particular?
[ He slumps inside. As he's making his way in, he asks: ]
So, uh...Did you need to talk about something in particular?
[ He relents a little bit. ]
Yeah. It is. And with the people surrounding the emperor, too.
Yeah. It is. And with the people surrounding the emperor, too.
Page 8 of 36