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 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.

[komarran]

Duv decides very quickly that he likes that look on Ivan. And realizes just as quickly that he's even smiling in unconscious reaction to it. With very little smoothness, he brings up one of his flimsies so he can focus on whatever document is inside.

"I could say the same if you manage to cut down our time wasted on frivolous issues," Duv says as neutrally as he can manage. Cutting down any of their time wasted would do wonders for their efficiency.

[whatdidisay]

Something warm and pleased curls up in Ivan's chest at Duv's smile. It brightens his face that both makes him look more approachable and less worn down; and here Ivan thought the flat look was a constant. It makes him look good, really. And then Duv awkwardly fumbles for the flimsy and Ivan clears his throat, attention snapping away from the other man.

"Sure. I mean, the point of efficiency is to spend less time on everything in general. I'm good at that." He is, Duv, just watch him. He'll make this office run smoothly yet.

[komarran]

"Less time on some things so we can spend more on others," he corrects. There's no expectation of down time in this posting, as far as he's concerned. He keeps his eyes glued on the document in front of him. It makes it far easier to stay in Ivan's office when he's not staring directly at the man.

"When do you have meet your mother?"

[whatdidisay]

"You know how to put a damper on my excitement, don't you?" Really Duv, putting a stopper on his joy already? Ivan doesn't look all that put out about it, even as he throws his now-filed paperwork back on his desk. "Within the half hour. At some Komarran place Laisa recommended -- Simon thinks the head of Galactic Operations mentioned something about it, or at least he looked like it was familiar, but."

Ivan swallows, not knowing what to say to Duv about the state of the former Chief of ImpSec. At least Miles'd gotten the bastard who did it, in the end.

[komarran]

He shrugs. It's not the first time he's heard how little fun he is to be around. They're in the office, not out on the town.

"Thinks he heard of it?" There's a small frown at that and he looks up from his flimsies. He'd been involved partially in that internal investigation and he hadn't had much contact with Simon Illyan since he was forced out of his office. No one had seemed to want to speak much on the current condition of Illyan and he only had rumors to go by. "I'd heard he wasn't the same after his retirement."

[whatdidisay]

Has Duv ever been out on the town, as it were? Ivan would like to see the other man at least slightly unwound, although he's not sure that's actually possible. At least not with this job.

Ivan's lips purse and he considers it. "Most of the rumors exaggerate the damage. For his safety, and m'mother's now, too." He doesn't feel bad imparting this to Duv, who he feels has been granted some measure of trust by Gregor, and therefore should know what he's heading into. "But he's not as together as he acts."

It's the only way he can explain it. It's easier to see once you meet them, once you see his mother cover up for Simon's slips.