video;

[heliakal]

[ Clark appears on screen wearing a recently acquired pair of glasses from the marketplace. He looks like a buff nerd irritated and uncertain. ]

I think something was delivered to me by mistake. [ He angles the camera so the fuzzy little bonsai tree in front of him is clearly visible. The leaves are covered in fur, it's actually sort of cute but... That tiny meowing sound? That's coming from the tree.

More specifically, from the little seed pods that contain live kittens. ]

If it belongs to anyone, I'll be happy to return it. [ Said mildly. He doesn't know yet if this is an alien species or something more deliberate, but he's trying very hard to give it the benefit of a doubt here. ]

In the meantime... Does anyone know what this is, exactly? Or how to take care of it?

Comments

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles swings right around in his chair, a grin plastered to his face. ] Oh, hello, Ivan! Didn't see you there. I take it you've seen the post, then?

[whatdidisay]

Don't even start. Once was bad enough, this is--

( he gestures in an attempt to convey horrific and ghastly all rolled up into one. )

[forwardmomentum]

And you'd wish that on someone else? [ miles cocks an eyebrow expectantly at ivan, an expression of nascent disapproval. it's one he's obviously picked up from his mother. ] I think that among the crew here, you'd be the most qualified to look after it. What if some poor, unsuspecting sod makes the same mistake you did once?

[ trying to manipulate ivan into taking it? absolutely. that doesn't mean those aren't real concerns. ]

[whatdidisay]

Miles.

( Ivan reaches forward to grip his cousin's shoulders firmly, leveling him with a solid, unflinching look. he knows what you're doing, damn it, and he won't stand for it! )

Take a wormhole jump to hell. I'm not touching it.

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles doesn't flinch either, merely raising his eyebrows quite high in an impressive imitation of one of his mother's "i'm going to be practical and you're not going to like it" looks. ]

All right. But if something happens to that poor...uh...thing out of accident or neglect, because of general lack of familiarity, that'll be on you. If you can live with the knowledge that you could've done something to prevent it, then go right ahead. Abandon it to someone else's hands.

[ he shrugs and spreads his hands in a "well, that's that" gesture, and waits. ]

[whatdidisay]

No. You're not doing this to me. You can't make me do this.

( he hates that look. )

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles holds his hands up in a mildly defensive gesture ]

I'm not making you do anything, Ivan. This is your decision. I'm just making sure it's a well-informed one.

[ any second now. ]

[whatdidisay]

You are! You're doing the thing you did when we were kids and you convinced Elena and I that what we really wanted to do, more than anything, was dig into the tunnels beneath Vorkosigan House. I got buried, Miles.

( uggggggggghhhhhhhh )

Fine.

[forwardmomentum]

[ miles flashes him a pleased smile. it's not smug, really. it's...just shy of it. ]

I knew I could count on you to do the right thing, Ivan.

[ okay, now he's smirking. those were good times. ]

[whatdidisay]

( he hates you )

There's still time for you to take that wormhole jump, Miles.

[forwardmomentum]

[ hahaha. ]

Well, I suppose if you want some quality time with Gregor...

[whatdidisay]

( no no ivan, don't freak out, don't freak out don't freak out.

god he hates miles naismith vorkosigan so much. )

My foster cousin and I've spent plenty of quality time with each other as is. So fine. Just... fine.