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I,I think so! [She laughs a little, a little nervous note in it.]

I just. Hope I can do the job well enough. I've never been given a job like this, I have to be a figure for the crew, listen to them. ...you think I can do that, right?

[She thinks she can, but she wants to hear it from the person she considers to be one of her best friends on the ship. He'll tell it to her straight.]

Well, Elizavetka, you've put up with everyone admirably enough so far. ( including his troublesome cousin ) A position of authority isn't going to change the parts of you that made them give you the rank in the first place. Coming from a place like Barrayar -- you've earned it, no one gives out promotions like this without thinking about it. ( and sure, the captains are-- well, generally incompetent in all military matters ivan's familiar with. but if they did this? maybe they were onto something. he grins at her, wide and lacking the easy, amicable charm for one of . ) So yeah, I know you can.

( and then, because he is officially the worst -- his smile takes on a more flirtatious edge, still good natured as he hands her the drink. )

Does this mean I have to call you 'sir'?

Edited 2016-03-08 07:02 (UTC)

[Perhaps that's the part she's the most uneasy about. She wants to be a friend to everyone still. She wants to go on dates with Ivan and have tea with Harry, show Ginko how to use the decimal system and talk to Jacky about boys, talk with Eggsy about his family and paint her nails with Wanda. Being First Mate, she hopes, won't change all of that. If anything, maybe she's in a better position to know what they need from the captains by being their friend and knowing how they're feeling.]

I don't have anything to go back to-- I'm pretty sure you know that given how little I talk about where I came from. So as much as some people resent being here... it's become my home. I want it to be safe, and I want people to at least not struggle too hard to find some kind of comfort here. That's why I accepted the position before really thinking about how it could change things.

But you're right-- even if it's dedication to a collection of paper books, they saw that I'm dedicated and that I care about the crew and the ship. That's not going to change. [And hopefully the rest wouldn't either. She's still Elizabeth, still unversed in many things, still wants to see everything and meet everyone.]

[She smirks and takes the drink from Ivan.] Does this mean I have to order you to throw me in the pool? [She laughs and gently clinks her glass against Ivan's.]

( i don't have anything to go back to sounds horrible, as far as ivan's aware -- what he says next he can't really help himself. ) You could come back with us, whenever we reach where we're going. Miles and Gregor won't say no. Hell, Gregor can help with whatever you needed to get settled. And you wouldn't have to stay on Barrayar if you didn't want to. ( although that would be his preference -- but the nexus is a wide place, and she could go anywhere she wanted. ) Er, you don't have to answer that now.

( MOVING ON )

Pretty sure you wouldn't be Elizabeth DeWitt if it did. Congratulations on the promotion, Elizabeth. You deserve it.

( he grins, raising his glass once more in her direction before drinking. )

I've always liked the responsible nature of a chain of command, but I can't say I've ever had a superior officer who'd want me to throw them into a pool. For you, though, I'd show a surprising amount of initiative -- you wouldn't have to order me.

Edited 2016-03-08 15:37 (UTC)

[That's quite the invitation. Elizabeth's eyebrows fly up and she has no idea what to say. Yes? She thinks she wants to say yes-- Ivan and Miles and Gregor and Bel are all wonderful, and living with friends would be ideal, she thinks. Plus a whole new planet to explore, even if Barrayar sounded fairly terrible in the political sense--]

[But Ivan spares her from answering immediately, which she's grateful for. One big change at a time.]

Thank you... Vanya. [She smiles over her glass and has a conservative sip-- no repeat of last time.] Really, I only worked hard because I wanted the library to be something people loved, or could find some familiarity in, or answers. I never imagined that I'd be recognized for doing what I was enjoying. [She says with a little disbelieving laugh.]

Ooh, perfect. I love someone who shows initiative~ [She grins at him over her glass again.]

( oh good, he'd wondered if they both learned their lesson after last time. ivan's not a fan of fruity drinks, but this isn't so bad, he supposes. for something designed not to taste like the alcohol he knows is in it.

but think about it, and say yes. you know, eventually. )

You know what they say, "do what you love". ( no one told the vor that, except as a military caste they sort of do what they love by default by entering the service. ) Good luck with it all, I'm sure you'll do great.

( the sincerity in his voice is plain, honest and happy for her. )

Only when it comes to beautiful women who have recently been promoted, you understand. Else you're just out of luck.

Well, you'll see me doing it-- right? [She looks a little unsettled by the idea of everything changing.] I mean, apparently most of the job is acting as a go-between for the crew and the captains, so I'll be spending as much time as I can with the crew.

[She didn't want to lose all of her friendships, after all. Not for a promotion. Elizabeth reaches to take Ivan's hand-- even just talking to him about this was making her feel more certain, but she maybe needed just a little physical reassurance. Just a little.]

Well, lucky me, I think I happen to have both of those things squared away. [Ivan has said she's beautiful, at least, and she believes him-- even if she's thought for most of her life that she was just average in that department.] You think you're up for the job, Vorpatril?

Of course. Were else would I be? ( sure, not seeing her doing it isn't really an option when they're on the same ship, but you know what? those are minor details ) No wonder they picked you, they'd want to find someone personable and approachable. You've already made your mark with the library, this is just taking that to a new level. The helping's the same, isn't it?

( ivan assumes that's what you do in libraries. he's never been in one that wasn't the one in vorkosigan house or required of him for schoolwork. and then talking to elizabeth, here. he squeezes her hand in that required reassurance, grinning. )

There's only one way to find out.

I... suppose it is! Though instead of trying to match patrons with wonderful and enriching reading material-- or books with pictures of cats-- I'm their line to the captains.

[She grins down at their hands, squeezing back and biting her lip coyly.] Next time I'm in a swimsuit. Demonstrating right now... it isn't the time or place, I'd say.

Are you saying the history of 'cat memes' isn't enriching reading material? ( he grins, not taking it personally. ) Well if it means getting to see you in a swimsuit again, how can I say no?

( ivan. )

No! ...well, alright, perhaps not enriching, but entertaining! Entertainment is also important in a pleasure-reading book. [She says, pointing at him and taking another sip of her drink.]

Ivan. [Elizabeth smirks and puts her drink down to give him a properly flat look.]

( he grins even wider, spreading his hands in a gesture of innocence. )

What?

Ivan. [She persists, though there's a smile cracking through.] Don't tell me you like me for my bathing suit now.

Elizabeth. ( he is a simple man with simple needs. like women in small amounts of clothing. or none. none is good, too. ) Well not just.

Ivan!! [Elizabeth laughs and reaches across the table to smack his arm.] Tell me that's not more than... than five percent of why you like me! Oh my God-- [She laughs and picks up her drink again.]

No, no. ( he says, in an attempt to allay her fears. but he's still grinning -- he likes making her laugh. ) The dress, on the other hand--

[Have another affronted scoff Ivan.] Well if you like it so much, you can take the dress on a date!

I'd much rather take both of you out. Simultaneously, although if you'd prefer to be out of it at some point I won't complain.

( ivan vorpatril you need to not. he does set his drink aside and leans in, taking her hand and pressing the knuckles to his lips with a coy smile perfected over the years. )

No more than fifteen percent. The rest of it is all you, Elizavetka.

[Elizabeth arches an eyebrow at him, smiling patiently and watching him kiss her hand. She's thinking about something, something that could be life changing, something new and scary.]

...You get that down to ten percent, you might see me out of it at some point.

( oh fuck yes. ivan's eyes light up, although his expression stays roughly the same. get it down to ten percent? he can do that. probably. )

Then it sounds like I need to hurry up with that second date, spend more time with you in order to knock that number down some.

Edited 2016-03-13 01:46 (UTC)

[She's not unreasonable, she imagines that physical attraction has at least something to do with interest between people. But whether it's the fact that she grew up thinking she was average-looking or that she's had so many terrible experiences centered around her body, something is keeping her from feeling completely comfortable. She's felt used enough in her life, this should be like another conversation between them where she feels like he's talking to her.]

I'm never against us spending more time together. [Elizabeth smiles and squeezes his hand.] You always makes everything seem brighter, Vanya.

( he knows some of what she's been through, knows that she wants to feel loved. ivan's not sure he can do that last one _{despite the warmth in his chest every time she smiles at him} but he can touch her without the intent of causing pain, of wanting to chase it all away back into some darkness that can't reach her here. miles is the one with the savior context in this family, maybe, but ivan hates injustice when he sees it; some great unfairness in the universe that kept her from living her life like normal.

if he can give her some of that, then maybe it'll be worth it. his own smile is just as wide and true as he looks over at her. )

Yeah? ( that's probably the most flattering thing anyone's ever said about him, and he feels more of his insides twist. right, there's a solution for that: ) Are we still here as friends or can I kiss you? Only I don't want to interrupt any more friends-chat with things that are distinctly un friend like--

Edited 2016-03-13 20:14 (UTC)

Don't bore me with semantics. [She grins and hooks a finger in his collar, pulling him halfway to her and leaning the rest of the distance so she can kiss him. Really, she'd been nervous about Ivan hearing about this promotion and... snapping into some kind of military-style routine when all she wanted was to figure out how she felt about this. By talking to someone who knew her, but wouldn't try to coddle her either. Ivan knew she could handle unpleasant things if she had to, he would have expressed misgivings if he'd thought she had the wrong idea. Right?]

[Besides-- what were they if not friends? Friends was a nice, simple word for it, right?]

( sure, elizabeth. friends who make out a lot and say nice things to each other and use diminutives. there's no other good word for that. friends is fine by ivan, although if someone cornered him in a corner he'd scrounge around for a word since they haven't actually talked about it. but he goes willingly, hands settling at her waist again. like he's going to complain about any of this. )

No? Not a stickler for detail? Noted.

( he'll avoid it in the future. and continue kissing her, that's a good thing to do at this point. )

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