( OPEN ) what you don't know won't hurt you

[whatdidisay]

Who: Ivan Vorpatril & VARIOUS (including YOU)
When: the month of march (and stuff backdated into feb.)
Where: all around the ship
What: catch all log post and OPEN LOG
Warnings: none!


I. BAR

If his cousin is bartending, and even when he’s not, Ivan can be found at the bar most evenings. Some days just for a quick drink in passing, other nights he’s there until late in various states of inebriation, never crossing the lie into intolerably so. Affable and open, it’s no hardship to start a conversation with him; get near him and he might just start up one himself.

II. ON THE JOB

Ivan’s job is the least demanding on the entire ship, and he likes it like that. There’s days he fills with playing the non-terrifying games on his MID, at least between running around and making sure Navigation and Communications aren’t at odds with each other. Which they don’t ever seem to be, which makes his job that much easier.

Most days he can be found at his desk, slowly working on whatever demands have been made of him to stretch out his workday. The mealtimes that he doesn’t run off to the mess hall for, he takes in Navigation — munching on whatever food they managed to cough up while watching the stars pass them. Either way, it’s quite easy to pull his attention from his job should someone require it.

(( if you want something more specific, please feel free to PM me or PP @ robutts ))

Comments

[tearmeanewone]

Elizabeth realizes a little too late that yes, he's landing quite close to her, and this shape is clearly going to produce a large splash-- like throwing a rock into a pond. She raises her arms to shield herself but it's no good, she shrieks again and laughs as she's soaked. Again.

"Yes," she says with a laugh once he's above the water again. "I think I've got the gist of it."

[whatdidisay]

"Glad to have helped," he says, this time paddling over to her with a grin. Running a hand through his wet hair, Ivan jerks his head in the direction of the ladder. "Go on, try it again."

And maybe she'll laugh like that again too, if he's lucky.

[tearmeanewone]

Get out of the pool again? She can't just float there and watch him run his hand through his wet hair for an hour or so? No, no, she should play along.

"Alright, I've got it this time..." Elizabeth swims over to the ladder and pulls herself out of the pool one step at a time, then walks to where Ivan jumped. She doesn't back up as far, though. Timing the running and jumping, while she's usually fairly good at it, is not the right choice when she's still trying to learn.

But she does back up a couple steps and watches the water move for a second, swinging her arms and trying to visualize how Ivan did it and how she's going to. After a long prep time (considering the brief nature of a cannonball), she takes the three steps at a run, jumps and hugs her knees to her chest-- letting out a yell from beginning to end. This time, she doesn't smack the water like she did before. Elizabeth is a fast learner, but he probably expected as much.

[whatdidisay]

Well she could if she wanted to, Ivan wouldn't mind. He's there to be ogled, Elizabeth.

He did, though -- it's one of the reasons he likes her. She's constantly smarter than him, it's true, but she never makes him feel like somehow he's lesser for it. He grins, then breaks out into a laugh when she starts yelling, trying to move far enough back to avoid the incoming splash -- throwing up an arm to block his face a moment too late. It doesn't make a difference, really, not when he's already wet, but he laughs all the same.

"Well done!"

[tearmeanewone]

"It looked good?" Elizabeth said, paddling over to Ivan with clear excitement. It felt right at least, but she can't watch herself cannonball so she has to trust Ivan's opinion. Which she's of course willing to do. She paddles back over to Ivan and puts her arms around his neck to float with him. "I'd like to thank my friends, and my mentor, for believing in me all the way up to this proud moment."

[whatdidisay]

"It looked excellent," he says, grinning as she puts her arms around him. Yep, he's really liking how this is turning out. "It's been an honor, let me tell you."

And then he grabs her fully, lifting her into his arms in a more comfortable and less meant for subversion version of their time on the awful date planet that Ivan refuses to name now out of deep resentment for what went on there that wasn't actually dating Elizabeth. "We can try it again, only this time I can just toss you in, Elizavetka."

[tearmeanewone]

Elizabeth hums happily as she feels Ivan gather her up, though once he makes clear what his intentions are of course she feels the need to subvert what he's trying to do. All's fair in splash fights.

"Oh, are you--" She kisses his jaw. "--sure you want to--" Then his cheek. "--do that--" And his temple. "Vanya?"

Cheating is what this is.

[whatdidisay]

It is absolutely cheating, and Ivan knows when he's being beaten at his own game -- but he's far from upset about this sudden and great reversal. He really is never going to get tired of hearing Elizabeth use a diminutive, grip tightening on her. "I didn't think you'd play dirty," Ivan mutters, unbothered.

Well two can play at that game, can't they? Ivan kisses her forehead, the tip of her nose, the corner of her mouth. "There's several other things I think I want to do now," he admits, hoping to keep her distracted enough she doesn't notice she's being carried towards the shallow end and the easy slope up out of the pool. "So not that sure."

[tearmeanewone]

"I'm not above using less-than-modest tactics to achieve a goal," she mutters against his cheek with a grin. Especially with you...

"Oh?" Elizabeth feels the water moving around them, but doesn't really think much of it. They're canoodling, surely he's not going to interrupt it? "What things?"

She sounds curious, but not in her usual bright way. It's soft, and dark, barely a whisper above the lapping of the water against the pool, like she's asking him to tell her a secret.

[whatdidisay]

Good God. This whole taking it at her speed thing is harder than he thought it was going to be, although he's very glad they've gotten to the kissing part of it. And she's a quick learner, too, which is really the best. But when she speaks like that, Ivan can't help but wish ravishing was on the table. He can only have so much.

Adjusting his grip on her so he can lean in, brush his lips against her ear, Ivan grins. "Well that depends on what you're looking for. I've got a whole host of skills you haven't seen yet," he says, voice dipping low to match her's. Trying to ignore how warm she is against him was something he at least had half a mind to do, but now he just doesn't care. "All you have to do is ask." The hand around her waist slips upwards to trace idle patterns across the exposed skin of her side and stomach, skimming lightly but with a confidence born out of years of practice.

Interrupting canoodling is no longer on his to-do list, even as he carries Elizabeth up out of the water and back towards the deep end. Purely out of automatic movement rather than the fact that he's actually paying attention to anything that isn't Elizabeth. So sue him.

[tearmeanewone]

Oh. Skills. Skills. Skills she hasn't seen yet... And all she'd have to do was ask.

It's too much, maybe not too fast for him, but Elizabeth lasts all of three seconds with Ivan's lips against her ear before she's giggling and hiding her face in his shoulder. Someday. Someday she'd ask when she felt less self-conscious and, to be honest, safe. Yes Ivan is carrying her around now, and had before apparently, but she'd have to make a choice to make herself the most vulnerable she'd ever been voluntarily. Ivan is kind, and so good to her, and only interested in spending time with her-- he's almost there, to her safe list. Which, truth be told, has no one on it yet.

"I will. Someday soon I will," she says, resting her forehead against Ivan's neck and her fingers on his shoulder. Elizabeth blinks, realizing Ivan's stopped walking and has stopped in front of--

The deep end of the pool.

"...you did not," she says slowly, eyes going wide. Duplicity! Shenanigans!

[whatdidisay]

Giggling instead of an outright rejection is the sort of progress Ivan likes to see, as well as that soon. He lets go of the breath he's holding, pressing his cheek against the top of her head in a reassuring gesture. Well, for that particular thing, because he grins wildly as she realizes where they are.

"Did what?" He asks, in the sort of vapid innocent look that comes naturally to him. Look at his face! He's perfectly innocent in all matters relating to possibly dumping you into the pool, Elizabeth. How could you think of accusing him of such!

[tearmeanewone]

"Ivan Vorpatril..." Elizabeth says slowly, holding up a finger in warning. "Do not even think about it."

Behind that vapid innocence is a maniacal schemer, the kind that starts splash fights and throws innocent girls into pools after whispering sweet nothings in their ears.

[whatdidisay]

"And? What if I've thought about it?" He asks, grin spreading over his face. But he still hasn't dropped her -- maybe there's a chance for her to get out of a very wet fate even now.

Although Cordelia would agree about there being a part of Ivan that's far more schemer than most. Otherwise Elizabeth might be out of luck if she's going to go looking for anyone to support that theory.

[tearmeanewone]

"Then I will caution you not to take the wrath of a DeWitt so lightly. We can be quite feisty when we're crossed," she says, putting the finger she's holding up on his nose playfully. "There's no telling what I'll do if you pitch me unceremoniously into that water. Be warned, live in fear, or put me down."

[whatdidisay]

"I would never pitch anyone unceremoniously into the water, Elizabeth," is his self-defense, attempting to pull back into the innocent look he knows he's capable of. "Besides, turnabout is only fair play isn't it? I remember ending up in the pool because someone decided to take things into their own hands."

Although he's not opposed to seeing this feisty side of her, either. All things considered.

[tearmeanewone]

"That was a preemptive move!" she argues with a laugh. "And we both ended up in the pool, you're just going to toss me in! How is that fair play at all?"

[whatdidisay]

"Well if that's what is concerning you--" Ivan grins, presses his lips to her forehead, before tossing her in with a great amount of ceremony, thank you very much. And then promptly jumps into the pool behind her. Never let it be said that he's not a great problem solver....

Okay never say that about Ivan, ever.

[tearmeanewone]

Elizabeth doesn't like this ceremony, and she expresses as much by screaming until she hits the water. Happy screaming. She'd been fairly sure that this was going to happen, but shrieking seemed appropriate anyway. She comes back up for air quickly and waits for Ivan to surface. When he does, she's ready with a little splash.

"You sneaky bastard! The kiss does not make it better!"

[whatdidisay]

"M'mother and m'father were marred thank you," Ivan corrects with a laugh -- being a bastard isn't a good thing to be on Barrayar, so the correction is instinctual if light-hearted. "And what about another kiss, will that help?"

He doesn't even try and defend against the splash. Not this time, instead swimming closer so he can deliver on his offer, if she wants it.

[tearmeanewone]

"Well if you want to be technical about it you have a point, but the sentiment still stands!" Which was the point of it, obviously, but Elizabeth makes a mental note to maybe avoid that word in the future.

"And no, Ivan Vorpatril," she says, holding out her hand and turning her head away dramatically (which is quite a feat while treading water). "Don't think you can buy my favor back with the warmth of your lips!"

He really can, though. That's the underlying message of course.

[whatdidisay]

Of course he can. Ivan takes the hand presented to him with such flair, pressing a kiss once on the back of it. "But if you'd just give me a shot, Lady Elizabeth--" another kiss, this time over her wrist "I'm sure I could change your mind." And higher still, kissing as far up her arm as he'll let her, flicking his eyes up to give her his most winning look, half lidded and dark.

He's certainly giving it his best shot.

[tearmeanewone]

And she's pretty sure that if he looked at her like that, he could change her mind about almost anything. Elizabeth lets him go all the way up her arm, goosebumps rising in front of his onslaught, while she's trying to think of something witty to say back.

It's hard when he looks at her all sultry- and seductive-like.

"I... could be persuaded, I guess."

Dammit Ivan.

[whatdidisay]

He flashes her a wide grin, pulling her in with a practiced ease, one arm going around her waist. "Oh yeah? S'good to know." Dipping her is impractical, even if Ivan thinks she'd appreciate the theatrics and romanticism inherently involved. So instead he cups her cheek, tilting her head up.

The look doesn't vanish from his face, fingers brushing the line of her jaw. His eyes shut as he leans in again, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth before giving up and kissing her properly.

Oh yeah, he's got this. And honestly, Elizabeth, you should have known this was what you were in for.

[tearmeanewone]

She probably did, somewhere deep down, but it's more fun to pretend like she didn't expect them to kiss whenever they spent any amount of time together. Elizabeth kicks her legs lazily and wraps her arms around Ivan's neck as they kiss gently. Eventually Elizabeth just stops kicking and floats in his arms. It feels perfect.