[IC] [Mask or Menace] Contact Post

[dendarii]

"This is Miles. Leave a message and I'll respond to you at my earliest convenience."

The line has gone silent; any messages sent to this name only return an error.

Comments

[dendarii]

Yes, but you agreed to lunch first. I practically tricked you into it. And then I messed it up by proposing.

[failureisntachoice]

How the hell did you trick me into lunch? If I didn't want to go, I would have left you at waiting at the restaurant. Alone.

[dendarii]

I mean lunch became dating. You'd never have agreed if I'd asked you flat out.

[failureisntachoice]

Oh, so you know what I'm thinking now?

[dendarii]

What were you thinking?

[failureisntachoice]

That you're smart and fun to be around. If you think I'm not picky with who I spend my time with, I might need to take back that first part.

[dendarii]

[ Ah. He can't help but flush a bit at the compliment. ]

... No, that would be a disservice to you.

[failureisntachoice]

[ She snorts and focuses more on her food. Flush on his cheeks always was a good look for him. ]

Yeah, so stop insulting me by thinking I had no damn choice in that month or so we were dating.

[dendarii]

My apologies. That wasn't my intention.

[ He sags a bit in his chair, the pink fading from his cheeks and ears. ]

[failureisntachoice]

Apology accepted. [ A beat, then: ] And I'm sorry for how it ended. You didn't deserve that.

[dendarii]

Are we still talking about Jim?

[failureisntachoice]

No, because I can't say anything for what he did. And you haven't told me everything that happened with you two.

[dendarii]

Then you really can't say I didn't deserve that.

[failureisntachoice]

[ She snorts. ] I was talking about us there, but yeah, you're right. I do know from what I've seen of the guy, he looks like he'd rather screw and run.

[dendarii]

No, no, I meant us.

[failureisntachoice]

[ She shakes her head. ] You deserved it ending with where you wanted it to go, but not the way it happened.

[dendarii]

[ He lowers his gaze a bit, unsure of how to respond. ]

What would you have changed, then?

[failureisntachoice]

[ She thinks for a moment, staring intently at her mug of coffee. ]

That I told you sooner about the extra baggage.

[dendarii]

... Ah. I ... would have appreciated that. Perhaps we could even have worked something out had I known from the start.

[ Poly is still a bit of an alien concept for him, but - in theory, he could see the appeal. ]

I don't much like being the side fling.

[failureisntachoice]

[ She admits: ] I wouldn't either. That's why I apologized.

[ In retrospect, the whole affair had been short-sighted and stupid on several counts. Even if she had enjoyed their time together. ]

[dendarii]

... Apology accepted, then. [ He chases around a bit of crepe on his plate. ] And - my apologies as well, for not truly listening to you.

[failureisntachoice]

Fun while it lasted. [ She shrugs and finishes off her coffee. ] At least things couldn't have ended as badly for you and Jim.

[ Right? ]

[dendarii]

No, no. Not nearly so. Less attachment and fewer proposals.

[failureisntachoice]

[ She can't help but smirk at that. ] He wouldn't make a very good Lady Vorkosigan.

[dendarii]

[ Miles just snorts at that. ]

Alas, not so much. I can't see him handling that side of things. Besides, if I were going to marry a man, it wouldn't be Jim.