Annddd instead of working on my WIPs, I end up starting a new Vorkosigan fic instead.
The one in which Miles is a 12 year old almost-teenager bordering on the cusp of rebellion, and absolutely cannot stand the way Uncle Simon keeps breathing down his neck on Security issues.
Also the one in which Simon loses it. (I've been waiting to write this for entirely too long...)
Ivan was hesitating again.
Miles hissed under his breath and reached up to give Ivan's sleeve and unsubtle tug. As his cousin turned to him with wide-eyes and the beginnings of a protest, Miles made a violent shushing motion and pointed at the Armsman in brown and silver across the street.
Ivan looked, and Miles yanked at his sleeve again, hard. Finally, finally, Ivan stopped staring and started moving again.
"Miles," Ivan said, the moment they were out of earshot – or at least, the moment they were round the corner and Ivan judged them to be out of earshot. Miles would have kept radio silence for another block or more, or at least Miles would have kept moving, but then again, this was why this was Miles' idea in the first place. He sighed.
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Ivan continued, just as Miles thought he would. "I mean--"
"Relax," Miles said, the same thing he'd said the past five times that Ivan had protested. "It's fine, look! We're almost at the edge of the dome. It's not like we're going to go outside or anything, I just want to get to an observation deck where we can see the array."
"We could see it from the apartment," Ivan said, "Why do we need to come all the way out here?"
Miles ground his teeth and called on his reserves of patience. "Because it's clearer," he said. "You know – the way you can see the stars better when you're down in the countryside? The observatory is made for this. There's got to be a better view there! It's not like we're going to be sneaking out of the dome or anything."
"But that's how it always starts," Ivan said, and Miles could have punched him for the faux-mournful tone that slipped into his voice. "It always starts with something small and then the next thing I know we're running for our lives, and that's not even counting what would happen when my mother gets word of the fact that we've slipped out of the guest suites without your Armsmen, and what your mother would say--"
"They're all going to be at that fancy reception all night," Miles said, peering cautiously around the corner of the building before gesturing at Ivan to follow him. "We'll be back long before they are. Come on, it's not like we're going to get another chance to explore Komarr on our own—"
"Enjoying an evening stroll, are we?" a new voice – instantly familiar – said dryly, from just behind them. Miles stopped dead in his tracks and glanced around madly, in time to see – of all people! – Uncle Simon emerge from another shadowed alleyway, flanked by two other ImpSec officers. There was a slight catch to his breath that suggested he'd been running. Chasing after them? Miles' mind balked at the thought.
The one in which Miles is a 12 year old almost-teenager bordering on the cusp of rebellion, and absolutely cannot stand the way Uncle Simon keeps breathing down his neck on Security issues.
Also the one in which Simon loses it. (I've been waiting to write this for entirely too long...)
Ivan was hesitating again.
Miles hissed under his breath and reached up to give Ivan's sleeve and unsubtle tug. As his cousin turned to him with wide-eyes and the beginnings of a protest, Miles made a violent shushing motion and pointed at the Armsman in brown and silver across the street.
Ivan looked, and Miles yanked at his sleeve again, hard. Finally, finally, Ivan stopped staring and started moving again.
"Miles," Ivan said, the moment they were out of earshot – or at least, the moment they were round the corner and Ivan judged them to be out of earshot. Miles would have kept radio silence for another block or more, or at least Miles would have kept moving, but then again, this was why this was Miles' idea in the first place. He sighed.
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Ivan continued, just as Miles thought he would. "I mean--"
"Relax," Miles said, the same thing he'd said the past five times that Ivan had protested. "It's fine, look! We're almost at the edge of the dome. It's not like we're going to go outside or anything, I just want to get to an observation deck where we can see the array."
"We could see it from the apartment," Ivan said, "Why do we need to come all the way out here?"
Miles ground his teeth and called on his reserves of patience. "Because it's clearer," he said. "You know – the way you can see the stars better when you're down in the countryside? The observatory is made for this. There's got to be a better view there! It's not like we're going to be sneaking out of the dome or anything."
"But that's how it always starts," Ivan said, and Miles could have punched him for the faux-mournful tone that slipped into his voice. "It always starts with something small and then the next thing I know we're running for our lives, and that's not even counting what would happen when my mother gets word of the fact that we've slipped out of the guest suites without your Armsmen, and what your mother would say--"
"They're all going to be at that fancy reception all night," Miles said, peering cautiously around the corner of the building before gesturing at Ivan to follow him. "We'll be back long before they are. Come on, it's not like we're going to get another chance to explore Komarr on our own—"
"Enjoying an evening stroll, are we?" a new voice – instantly familiar – said dryly, from just behind them. Miles stopped dead in his tracks and glanced around madly, in time to see – of all people! – Uncle Simon emerge from another shadowed alleyway, flanked by two other ImpSec officers. There was a slight catch to his breath that suggested he'd been running. Chasing after them? Miles' mind balked at the thought.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-20 06:16 pm (UTC)From: