duv wants to be in the room where it happens

[whatdidisay]

Captain Ivan Xav Vorpatril is here, according to his superior officers, because he’s Ops and he knows Duv Galeni. He’s helping ease the transition of the new Imperial Counselor, working as the liaison between Galeni and Solstice’s Ops outpost officially — which means, in actuality, he’s there to smooth upset Barrayarans and Komarrans alike. The ruffled feathers he expected, and the thinly veiled threats are traditional, but on Komarr it actually has a chance of degrading into violence.

It boils down to a lot of parties and a lot of paperwork, one of which Ivan takes to easily and the other probably reminds Imperial Counselor of time spent on Earth over a decade ago. But Ivan does his job to average standards in everything but the social aspect of it. There his skills and talents don’t go wanting. With women and men, after Ivan’s enlightening experience at Count Dono Vorrutyer’s skilled hand. Again.

This night, however, has him staring at Duv Galeni over a glass of wine. He’s, what? Forty something and still unwed despite his new high-ranking position. Ivan thinks about what he told Miles — that he didn’t think Duv Galeni was one of those men, interested in other men. Well he’d been wrong about himself back then, hadn’t he? And either they’d somehow gotten a much stronger wine than Ivan had thought, or he’s seriously considering flirting with Duv Galeni just to see.

He’s on Komarr, Ivan reasons with himself, it’s not going to be as public of a scandal as if they’d been doing this on Barrayar. Imperial Counselor Galeni or no. Finishing off his glass, Ivan turns up the grin and hands it off to a server before making his way to Duv.

“Enjoying yourself?”

Nailed it.

Comments

[whatdidisay]

He, unfortunately, does. "Sir," Ivan departs with a proper salute at his dismissal -- finding the reluctance to do so concerning but not overly alarming. The next month goes by without much incident; Ivan reminding Duv to go home and the occasional accompanying walk back to the Residence when his security staff needed a break or found their resources stretched by Duv's long hours. He's found himself welcoming Duv's company, even if the other man still doesn't show any sign of recognizing the flirtatious edge in his smiles or turns of phrase.

It's one day, when Duv is out, that Ivan hears the news -- his mother and Simon Illyan are planning a trip Komarr-side on their way to Sergyar and Beta Colony. And of course Simon wants to meet with Duv; and both of them with him. "Busy," says Ivan when his mother calls to ask, pushing down the instinctual fear he always gets at the promise of time alone with his mother, "I've got something to go over with Duv."

He doesn't.

But what he does do is use Duv's office to hide out -- his PA tells him he won't be back the rest of the afternoon, which is good enough for Ivan. And sure, he sits on that couch with an ereader and flimsies to do work. Except it's a very comfortable couch, and it really wouldn't be a terrible thing to just lie down and read over paperwork, right? He's been working late for the past few days, so even if he had to rest his eyes for five minutes no one would blame him.

Which is how he ends up sprawled comfortably over Duv's couch, drooling and snoring slightly, fast asleep.

[komarran]

Time spent with Ivan has been a more than welcomed break. It's not that his staff is overbearing or he dislikes them, but he's known Ivan for years now and there's less of a need to stand on formalities. Well. Until his mind starts drifting and his gaze lingers where it shouldn't when Ivan has his attention drawn away. Ivan is both a good friend and subordinate within his chain of command, a rare combination that he's not about to ruin or put his career at risk.

Besides he's certain Ivan has other prospects far more promising than Duv. People far less busy for one thing.

In fact he did have his entire afternoon booked solid until he heard of Alys and Simon Illyan's arrival. Simon may no longer be ImpSec formally, but Duv would be remiss if he didn't take the opportunity to speak with him. So he requests his PA to reschedule the final things on his list so Duv can double back to his office to retrieve some files and get a personal opinion from the former head of ImpSec when he makes it planetside.

When he sees Ivan Vorpatril sleeping soundly on his couch.

He stares at the younger man as the door to his office slides shut and he's torn between shaking the man and leaving him be. It appears he had been at least attempting to work even if something had gone horribly wrong in the process. The man looks oddly... good even like that, drooling as he is. A thought Duv quickly shoos from his mind.

It's a long moment before he finally clears his throat loudly, hoping the noise would be enough.

[whatdidisay]

Ivan stirs, but only briefly. Enough to turn over onto his side and pull at the fabric of his uniform enough that a thin strip of skin is exposed above his waistline. There's a soft snort as Ivan makes a concentrated effort to wave off the interruption before sticking his arm under a pillow and burying his face further into it.

Maybe, Ivan thinks sleepily, if whoever it was goes away he can go back to his dream. It was a nice dream, too, and he'd like to pick it up from where it left off. Which was somewhere around the part where he was kissing Duv up against a wall. Ivan makes a pleased sound into the pillow at the image as he settles further into the couch.

[komarran]

Okay. Okay, that is more of Ivan than Duv has seen before and the option of letting the man continue to sleep while Duv gets to work on his comconsole has become very appealing. If only so he can glance up every so often and catch a glimpse of him. Except Duv'd never forgive himself for doing it.

He keeps his distance and waits until the light flush that threatened to spread over his cheeks goes away. Deep breath.

"Captain Vorpatril," he says, much louder this time.

[whatdidisay]

Captain just gets him to to snore louder. Well, snore louder and twist again, back onto his back -- uniform riding up further. He's not sure what Duv's doing, calling him Captain Vorpatril in his dream; did he have a thing for that? Ivan's handsome face scrunches up in confusion as his dream-self stumbles over that particular roadblock before going back to what was most important.

Falling silent again, Ivan remains that way unless disturbed, occasionally tossing and turning on the couch that pulls his uniform higher.

[komarran]

He could shake him. It would be easy to walk over, grab him by his damn uniform shirt and shake him awake and off that couch.

Instead Duv sighs, long and heavy. If Ivan is sleeping that hard then he must need it. He stares for a second longer before quickly averting his gaze to march over to his comconsole desk. The thought that Ivan should be preparing himself for a meeting with his mother briefly crosses his mind, but he'd be surprised if the younger man wasn't aware of that fact already.

Duv tries very, very hard to stay focused on his work and pretend that his very attractive subordinate isn't laying on his couch and exposing his stomach to him.

[whatdidisay]

He isn't incorrect at all, and it's a short while later that Ivan's commlink chimes in an obnoxious reminder of that very thing. Ivan groans, tempted to take it off and fling it across the room but instead forcing himself up off the couch. Couch? "Wha--" Is what he says while trying to pull himself back together, thumbing it off.

Ivan blinks into the light, running one hand through his disheveled and mussed hair, squinting as he tries to remember where he is and what he's doing here. He can practically taste the dream in his mouth, and makes a face at the lingering aftertaste of a nap. Nice dream, though, even if he hadn't really had much success with Duv -- Duv. Duv. "Duv--"

The traces of sleep vanish from his eyes as he stares straight at the man who's office he has absolutely been napping in, without permission. He realizes, belatedly, that he probably looks as unprofessional as it's possible to be while still in one's office. Oh God.

[komarran]

Oh thank God. The sound of Ivan's wristcom has Duv breathing a sigh of relief. He no longer has to avoid glancing at that side of the room. Though when his eyes drift over he immediately brings them back to his work on the comconsole. Why the devil does Ivan look good even when waking up from a nap?

Regardless of his personal feelings on the matter, he chooses to ignore Ivan's waking form. He's almost finished at his comconsole desk and then he'll be ready for his meeting with Simon Illyan.

"Captain Vorpatril, I trust you rested well," he says plainly. Might as well give the man a chance to keep his dignity. Ivan had been kind enough to do that after he carried Duv's sleeping body out of the building. An event he still imagined from time to time, much to his dismay.

[whatdidisay]

Ivan latches onto that attempt like a lifeline, straightening out his uniform and combing his hands through his hair in order to get it to look like he hasn't just been drooling into Duv's couch. "Sorry, sir. I needed someplace no one'd find me, although I did bring work with me." He gestures to the flimsies and ereader on the floor around him.

He checks his chrono and sighs -- oh yes, his mother would be arriving shortly. "I don't suppose there's a chance that Simon and m'mother have cancelled their Komarran vacation?"

[komarran]

"Fortunately not, Captain. I had a few issues I wanted to run by Illyan if he was willing." And thankfully the man is. Whatever bad blood had made the former Chief of ImpSec throw him to the far flung corners of the Nexus during his early career had long since vanished. A private council like this was rare.

"Will you be out with Lady Vorpatril then?"

[whatdidisay]

"You don't need to sound so happy about it," Ivan mutters, still unsure of just what his relationship with Simon Illyan is. Stepfather? But even that's not correct, and he doesn't know what Simon would make of that, either. It's just one of many reasons he tends to avoid his mother these days. Even if she has given up hope of him getting married.

As for Duv's question -- "I don't think I can escape it if you're meeting with Simon. You were supposed to be my alibi."

[komarran]

He rolls his eyes lightly and gathers up his flimsies. There's barely any sort of outing or break where he isn't carrying an armful of those these days.

"You can use me as one tomorrow, but you'll have to fend for yourself tonight." He eyes Ivan's own pile of work-related mess. "Do you need help carrying anything back to your office?"

[whatdidisay]

"Really?" Ivan brightens at Duv's offer to cover for him, grinning. "Thanks, Duv, I owe you one." Yes, his mother is that terrifying. Why is that eye-roll worthy? Ivan would like to see him deal with his mother and her... prole lover. Ivan shudders inwardly at the thought. Nope, not doing any better with that.

Ivan looks at the flimsies with a gaze that knows it's still recovering from an unexpected nap and that coordination might be a bit too much to ask for. "Er. I wouldn't mind the help if you've the hands for it."

[komarran]

The sorts of favors his mind have been on lately are hardly the ones he should ever ask for. He needs to get more sleep, that's all. Then his mind will stop wandering where it shouldn't and he could focus more on work.

"I'll take my payment later. You're on your own for standing," he jokes dryly as he reaches to take some of Ivan's bounty of work.

[whatdidisay]

"After all I've done for you," Ivan jokes back, scooping up an armful himself. He's only a little unsteady on his feet when he pushes himself up -- grabbing Duv's shoulder with his free hand until he can regain his balance. "Including getting the best couch for napping."

It is an excellent couch, and Ivan's almost tempted to push his luck and sneak in to nap on it more.

[komarran]

He stands steady and tries his damnedest to ignore how there's a slight quickening of his heartbeat at the contact. As soon as Ivan has his balance back, Duv is moving towards the door and putting at least a step between them.

"I'll take your word for it. I haven't needed to make use of it since you've been watching my hours," Duv says with a glance over his shoulder at Ivan. The younger man's been more helpful than Duv had ever thought he would be in this posting.

[whatdidisay]

Oh. Ivan doesn't say anything about the fact that Duv's moving away, even if there's the split second urge to pull him back again. Possibly flush to his chest. In Ivan's defense, it was a very good dream.

He grins at that, even as he follows Duv out. "One of these days I'll leave you alone so you can experience it yourself. It's not to be missed."

[komarran]

It's easier to keep his thoughts on work and away from how nice it would have been to join Ivan on that couch with him leading the way. Ivan's out of sight, but not entirely out of mind with his voice right by his ear.

"Do we need to make room in the budget for a couch in your office?" Not that there is any, scrounging up enough to properly redecorate his had been a challenge of its own.

[whatdidisay]

That gets Ivan to snort in amusement. He shakes his head, even if Duv can't see it. "No, because unlike someone else I could name, no one's concerned about me falling asleep at my desk. That was just-- unusual."

Like being surrounded by a place that, even though Ivan had designed it, still said Duv to him. It smelled of book discs and flimsies and history, whatever that smelled like, and now -- leaving it behind -- Ivan only realizes how easy it had been to drift asleep when presented with it from all sides.

That's ridiculous, he thinks, it must have been the lack of overhead lighting. That's all.

[komarran]

"I've only fallen asleep at my desk once." Which in his book makes it as unusual. The only difference is Duv didn't have to carry Ivan out of the building to get him home.

He opens the door to Ivan's office and pushes it the rest of the way with his foot. This is a room Duv hardly sees and he pauses for a moment to scan it. There's a lot that can be learned about a person from their personal space and the tasteful decorations and use of space screams organized.

He sets the pile of flimsies down on the desk and makes a show of sorting through them, leaving behind the ones that are Ivan's.

"If you need the use of my couch again," he starts absently, "Give myself and my PA a warning. I can work through the snoring and I know your duties can run late." Much like his own except he'd rather have Ivan at the top of his game during important political soirees.

[whatdidisay]

"Yeah, yeah," Ivan says, waving aside his protests. Ivan drops the ereader on the desk before digging through the filing cabinet for the right folders -- pulling out the ones needed. Duv's offer catching him off-guard, and he looks up with a flash of surprise. Pleased surprise, however, before it vanishes. The other man's probably being nice, he thinks, and it's not a sudden odd response to his flirting.

Doesn't mean he won't take him up on it, however. "I'll be sure to clear it with both of you in the future. And my snoring isn't that bad." Should he be offended at that? Ivan thinks he should be.

[komarran]

"How would you know if you've never heard it?" At the sight of the folders, Duv passes off the flimsies to him so he can sort them properly. He can appreciate a good filing system.

Without much else for him to do except keep a hold of his own documents, he's subtly watching Ivan. There's no hurry for either of them to leave and he's content to remain in Ivan's company until they have to depart.

[whatdidisay]

"No one who's heard it has suffocated me out of annoyance. That or by that point they've realized I've other qualities that make it sufferable." He shoots a look at Duv for that, eyebrow raised in an almost-invitation. One day he'll get a sign from the other man that is slightly more than 'vaguely encouraging'. Maybe.

Thumbing through the flimsies as he sits, Ivan misses most of the subtle looks Duv throws his way; but he isn't in a rush to shoo Duv out and away. "Half this stuff," he mutters, filing away something, "doesn't even need me to sign off on it. They just send it to me anyway. What I'd give for a good flowchart."

He does so love his flowcharts.

[komarran]

He returns Ivan's look with a mildly confused one before shaking his head. What in the devil is that supposed to even mean? Duv hardly wants to talk about Ivan's previous 'conquests' and their care or lack of in terms of the man snoring in bed.

Instead he focuses on the other half of the conversation.

"Make one and send it to me for review. We get enough coming through this office that I'll take any chance to raise efficiency," he replies as he watches Ivan work.

[whatdidisay]

Damn, strike out. He thought for sure that would have had some reaction in the other man. An open invitation to experience it for himself-- Ivan withholds a put upon sigh and turns his full attention to the flimsies. Licking his thumb, he's two pages into one particular report before what Duv says sinks it.

"You," he says, turning on Duv with an unnecessarily flair for the dramatic he only really indulges in around Miles, grin wide, "have just become my favorite person on this entire planet. The less work anyone has to do, the better." He loves not doing a lot of work and he loves flowcharts. It's perfect.