Where Ivan truly achieves his life goals

[komarran]

Comments

[whatdidisay]

"And you get the best reactions from galactics. You should see some of the Barrayarans that wander through here." A clean break from his planet of origin -- he doesn't even count himself as from it in anything but name and half of a very confused cultural upbringing. "They're fun, once you figure out what they want. And, because they're normally here for no strings attached sex, relatively easy."

[komarran]

"I'm not sure I could do that," he replies with a frown. Casual sex with no strings isn't something he's ever had. Even Ivan giving him a handjob had essentially been part of the man's job as his LSPT. "I'm trying to avoid that and I don't want anyone thinking that's what I want."

[whatdidisay]

"You're wearing earrings," Ivan points out, "they'll know to look for those first." It's one of the things he would have recommended the other man do if he hadn't when he first came to see him.

[komarran]

"I'm starting to wish we had clear signs on Komarr," he murmurs. It would make figuring out how to date men without creating a target of himself far easier. Mostly within his family. How would his father handle it with all his talk of potential, female bondmates that he'd like Duv to be with?

[whatdidisay]

Ivan considers that a minute, readjusting his hold on David into something far more comfortable. "There won't be clear signs, but I bet there'll be signs. How else are you supposed to find someone who's interested in the things you are?" You'll have to dig for it, but I'm sure they're there.

[komarran]

He sighs and nods as he rests his head against Ivan's shoulder. "Yes, I suppose there will be. I'll have to figure out what they are." Good god, had he missed several of them before making this realization? Hands brushing, cautious smiles given to him by other men who were well aware of his long-standing status as single while part of those Galens.

Keeping it hidden might be the harder part.

[whatdidisay]

"Why not find a Komarran ex-pat living here who's not straight and ask them?" Privacy? What privacy? You're on Beta Colony, son.

[komarran]

Was Ivan really asking him that? "And how am I going to find someone who fits that exact criteria? I haven't met a single Komarran since arriving." Unless the man has a few hidden up his sleeves.

[whatdidisay]

"Er," Ivan starts, realizing that this is a good point. "Maybe ask the Komarran Embassy if they have a list of Komarran ex-pats willing to meet new arrivals? It might not hurt."

Is that even a thing? Ivan doesn't know, but it might be.

[komarran]

"I think I'll pass, if it's all the same." David's family is far too high profile for him to want to risk anything of the sort. God, would those at the embassy recognize him and his family name? Better to not find out. "I would rather not discuss anything with the embassy here."

[whatdidisay]

Ivan shrugs, accepting his answer with ease. "Then I suppose you're on your own, but there should be publications you can pick up that will help ease you into it."

[komarran]

He hesitates for a split second before asking, "Do you have more than the ones you gave me?" Please say yes. Or else he's going to have an interesting network search history during his time here. Though he supposes he can take solace in the fact that it will be less weird than the rest of Beta Colony's.

[whatdidisay]

Ivan frowns, thinking. "I might be able to access some from Komarr, if that's what you want. Are you interested?" He'd have to get up and go to his desk, however, and he is rather comfortable here.

[komarran]

"If you don't mind." Because as comfortable as David is, those are resources he'd like to have access to before he leaves if at all possible. He pulls back enough to get a better look at Ivan's face. "Do you have them now?"

[whatdidisay]

"I might have to request them if I can't pull them off the comm here, but I'll do a search after our session to see if I can get them in-time for your next appointment." It's the least he can do, and this way he doesn't have to get up and dislodge the other man any more. No, they can stay right here. That's fine with Ivan.

Speaking of, they should be doing more of that 'build intimacy' exercises. "What do you do? I mean, I know you're a historian, but doesn't Komarr focus more on trade?"

[komarran]

"Thank you," he says sincerely. No materials to take home this time, but that's fine with what he'll be dealing with in relation to his new earrings. He can wait another week before going home with more reading or vids to peruse.

Ivan's question catches him off-guard. It's not often people care to ask about what he does and he shrugs lightly. "It does, but I teach and do research. I'm a professor in the history department at Solstice University."

[whatdidisay]

Ivan blinks, and then grins at the other man. "So you're Doctor David Galen," he says, slightly thrilled about this revelation for some unknown reason. Sliding a hand into David's hair and combing through the short hair with his fingers, Ivan wants to follow this up with some other comment, but instead finds himself still amused by the decision that a doctor from Komarr had decided that Ivan was the best choice to help him with his 'problem'.

[komarran]

He flushes slightly at the title and tilts his head into Ivan's hands. That doctorate had always been his personal achievement in life and for some reason, the title sounds good coming from the other man.

"Ah, yes, I am," he says. "That isn't an issue, is it?"

[whatdidisay]

"Good God, no." It is, in fact, kind of hot. Ivan wonders briefly if the other man has ever had a fantasy about being bent over a desk, or maybe bending someone else over -- he's here for penetration help, eventually, but hell. "Do you have glasses to go along with that? Or a tweed jacket?"

He might be a little invested in this, now. Unintentionally so.

[komarran]

"Glasses? Only for reading paper documents," he admits in confusion as he glances up at Ivan. "Overzealous research in my doctoral program was unkind to my eyes. I haven't had a chance to get them fixed." Which he could be doing instead of spending his time on Beta Colony visiting an LSP alas.

"Why do you want to know?"

[whatdidisay]

"No reason," Ivan supplies quickly. Except that he mentally adjusts his image of David to put the other man in tweed and glasses. The image is oddly and overwhelmingly attractive -- a fact which Ivan is completely unprepared for; he normally doesn't find his clients anything more than passingly attractive, what's this?

Well, whatever it is, Ivan is sure he'll get over it. "Kind of sets you apart, doesn't it? The glasses, I mean. In a good way."

Smooth, Ivan Vorpatril. Smooth.

[komarran]

"A little, yes," he says. His gaze doesn't move from Ivan. "But I don't understand why you asked about them..."

Did he give off that kind of an image? David hoped not. As proud as he is of his profession, it's almost embarrassing to be running around Beta Colony if he's exuding scholarly vibes wherever he goes.

[whatdidisay]

Shit. "Just curious, that's all. You see all those Earth vids of people wearing glasses -- sometimes you wonder if people still do elsewhere in the Nexus." He's going to be professional about this, damn it. So he doesn't need to confess his own personal attraction to them.

[komarran]

David supposes that makes sense and nods. "It's not common anywhere I know of. It's certainly not on Komarr. The others in my department who've suffered similar issues set aside the time quickly to get it resolved."

Which reminds him, maybe he should leave early from his sabbatical so he has time before the next term begins to get his own taken care of. It's an issue to worry about later, given how long there is between now and then.

[whatdidisay]

What, no. Is what Ivan nearly says in case David has thought about doing that, although he can't explain why there's a sudden urge for it. Still, he swallows it and gives the other man a small shrug. "Time better spent researching or writing?" That seems in line with what he knows about the other man.