garrulously | duv wants to be in the room where it happens

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duv wants to be in the room where it happens

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.

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"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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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?"

"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.

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."

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.

"Hm." Which means Duv should take any advisement he receives with some caution. Surely that mind that had run ImpSec smoothly for decades was still in good enough shape to help him.

There's another glance at his flimsies and he begins reordering them according to a new priority set by this new knowledge. Hopefully Illyan wasn't hoping this would be a personal meeting.

"I appreciate the warning, Captain. I'll keep that in mind when we might."

"Oddly enough," Ivan says, leaning back. "I think he's bored." Which is a scary thought, so he'll let that sink in for a moment or two. He catches the movement out of the corner of his eyes, and tries not to roll his eyes. Of course Duv would bring paperwork to meet Simon, he probably brings paperwork on dates.

No wonder he hasn't gotten marred. At least Ivan's had the opportunity.

"He'll appreciate your interest, in that case."

Bored. That's a state of being Duv would prefer to avoid at all cost. It's ingrained in him that if he's bored, he's likely not doing enough to get where he wants to be. Downtime has never been a major feature of his life.

It'll be strange once he's more settled into the practice of this position. Where else has he to go from here?

"That's what I was hoping for," he admits. "He declined to clarify why he wanted to meet with me."

Time to focus on domestic issues, eh Duv? Ivan's utterly unsurprised at that admission, and gestures towards his door to shepherd Duv out. Not unkindly, and Ivan will be right on his heels; as reluctant as he is to let Duv go off so soon.

"Touch base and have a nice conversation without the subtle threat of his position hanging over you, maybe. M'mother's been teaching him how to act a little less like the Chief of ImpSec and a little more like someone she can take out in public."

And doing very well, from what Ivan understands.

The flimsies are tucked under his arm and he takes the hint. He leads the way out, rubbing lightly at his chin in thought. His experience with Illyan has only been on the other side of giving reports, hardly in any personal meetings. This was going to be interesting.

Thankfully he's walking with someone who has more experience in this department. He glances over his shoulder and asks honestly, "Should I leave the paperwork here then?"

That's-- a good question, and one Ivan's not sure about. He's silent for a moment, running a hand through his hair. He's flattered that Duv might think his opinion on this matter is valued, enough to ask him for it. That's new. But to answer himw-- "Take it, but work up to it instead of throwing it out right after you sit down. Wait until after the appetizer."

Ivan might like you, Duv. And he might want to sleep with you, but he's pretty sure you'd do something like that without a second thought.

The fact that Duv doesn't think of Ivan's recommendation as an insult says that yes, that had been his exact plan and no, he sees nothing wrong with it. Part of him feels like he should be taking notes. After the appetizer, he can remember that. As for building up to it well, he'll have to see how the conversation pans out. Surely the usual pleasantries would carry them through the beginnings of the meal.

"Thank you, Captain. I'll keep that in mind." As they enter the main foyer of the embassy, Duv's ImpSec guard (or at least, the obvious one) is quick to join him. "I'll see you in the morning, Captain."

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