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The next time Linya and Ekaterin meet up (for impromptu bonsai skellytum pruning lessons, lunch, and an attempt to teach Ekaterin the simplest version of a complicated haut card game) Linya says, while shuffling for a second example round:
"Miles and I are planning to get married again, Barrayaran ceremony groats and all, and I wondered if you'd be my Second."
isthisart
thisvorlunatic
Miles... also heads home. He contemplates sending a return message, but decides that his considerable frazzlement over someone having managed to pull her hair would probably result in an unacceptable ratio of blithering to actual content.
isthisart
They arrive home at about the same time, Linya with her hair in a simple braid suggesting that she redid it hastily after Bylinkin apprehended its attacker and Bylinkin shadowing her closely.
"Miles!" she says when she spots him, and she speeds up. "You're home! I was expecting you gone longer."
"Miles!" she says when she spots him, and she speeds up. "You're home! I was expecting you gone longer."
thisvorlunatic
"It was a short mission. Are you - still fine? That's a moderately stupid question, I'm sorry. Can I braid your hair?"
isthisart
"Of course you can." Mindful of Bylinkin's presence, she dips to kiss him rather than scooping. "I'm - shaken up but unhurt."
thisvorlunatic
"Let's go up to our rooms and I'll braid your hair and cuddle you," he suggests. (And she can scoop him up unimpeded by an audience.)
isthisart
"All right."
They shed Bylinkin once safely past the threshold - Linya pauses to thank him again - and up they go.
They shed Bylinkin once safely past the threshold - Linya pauses to thank him again - and up they go.
isthisart
He is entirely welcome to hold her hand.
She scoops him when they are in their room. Scoops and hugs.
She scoops him when they are in their room. Scoops and hugs.
thisvorlunatic
"I love you," he says, snuggling her. "I'm sorry my planet is full of idiots. Who do things like pull your hair. I'm probably unreasonably offended about that part."
isthisart
"I love you too, and yes you probably are. He neither broke nor extracted any hairs that I noticed. Bylinkin was very quick and my hair is tough stuff," Linya says. "They may be slightly pinched but will smooth out in a couple of days."
thisvorlunatic
"Good." He pets her hasty braid and cuddles her some more. "I'll just continue being unreasonably offended, then."
isthisart
"You're adorable." She sighs. "The fellow was, inconveniently, not a student, but a professor. With tenure."
thisvorlunatic
"Bugger. Is he going to make your life difficult? Does he teach any of your classes?"
isthisart
"No, none of mine, he was guest-lecturing for the physics course but it was a one-off or I imagine he'd have made his displeasure known before today."
isthisart
"Yes. I'm glad I didn't become complacent about going accompanied outside the house," she sighs.
isthisart
"He didn't have a weapon on him. Even if I'd been alone I think I could have gotten him off of me before he did any damage, although I don't think I could have managed it as elegantly as Bylinkin."
isthisart
Linya nods. She gives Miles another snuggle and another kiss and then lets him go so he can see to the care of her abused hair.
thisvorlunatic
He brushes the hair. He pets the hair. He braids the hair - a five-stranded French rope braid that spins elegantly down her back. He pets the hair again. And then he sits in Linya's lap and kisses her.
thisvorlunatic
Miles giggles. "I, um, yes." A memory of a certain conversation with Bel Thorne springs to mind, and he adds, "...How hopelessly pathetic was I when I first saw you? With the falling to my knees and all?"