dissonance

[isthisart]

Dr. Cheung's at a funeral all day, so Linya decides to go up to London and see if Miles is out of his Mood.

Security has decided to be deeply unhelpful today. She is currently showing them various forms of ID and repeating in a slow, patient voice that she has been here before, there is not more than one of her, and she promises she is not there to assassinate her husband or whatever fool thing has them skittish today. Perhaps she shouldn't drop in while the captain's missing; it seems to make them worse. But she got in before while he was missing...

Comments

[thisvorlunatic]

"...Are you so horrifyingly deprived of positive touch that being picked up and kissed by someone who thinks you're her husband nearly gives you a heart attack?"

[isthisart]

Linya doesn't flinch at the sudden adoption of her husband's mannerisms as though Miles were a coat.

She says, "I am currently tied to a chair, but if I weren't I'd try holding out a hand in your direction to see what you'd do with it."

[unmarred]

He drops Miles as soon as he's done quoting, anyway.

"I don't know what I would do. Is it worth the experiment, do you think?"

[isthisart]

"Well, I don't know, you'd have to untie at least one of my hands and I'm not sure how much of a drawback you'd consider that."

[unmarred]

"I don't consider it much of one."

He contemplates the idea for a few more seconds, then unties one of her hands. (He manages not to touch her at all in the process.)

[isthisart]

And she holds out her hand, arm straight, hand extended invitingly.

[unmarred]

He looks at it as though it is the most utterly mysterious thing he has ever seen.

"I'm not sure I understand the parameters here," he murmurs.

[isthisart]

"The parameters?"

[unmarred]

"The..." He gestures helplessly. "I know how to be Miles. I don't know how to be me. I don't - understand what you're doing, or why, or what I want to do about it."

[isthisart]

"Well, if I presented Miles with my hand like this he'd probably kiss it, so anything other than that is an option."

[unmarred]

Mark blinks. "Hm. Yes..." He draws back a little. "But now I'm - I remember what happened last time you touched me. Thinking of what Miles would do just makes that worse."

[isthisart]

"In some cultures," she suggests, "it's customary to shake hands when meeting someone."

[unmarred]

"True." He still eyes her hand as though it might electrocute him on contact, but he approaches close enough to clasp it in the socially approved manner.

[isthisart]

Shake, shake.

[unmarred]

He lets go and backs away again, shivering.

[isthisart]

She puts her hand in her lap and watches him.

[unmarred]

"I don't understand you," he says.

[isthisart]

"I do. Ask away."

[unmarred]

"Are you angry with me?"

[isthisart]

"I am a little frustrated with you. Not angry. After all," she adds, "you did apologize."

[unmarred]

He smiles slightly, then shakes his head. "And that makes a difference?"

[isthisart]

"Compared to just shooting me? Or for that matter continuing to attempt to pass as Miles to me? Yes."

[unmarred]

"Why?"

[isthisart]

"Well - in particular you said you were sorry for even trying. Well. Bothering. It's a signal that we aren't as determinedly opposed as it might otherwise seem. You don't want Miles's life, you don't want me, you don't want to hurt me, you regret doing it even incidentally for unrelated reasons. 'Under happier circumstances we could have been friends' is not friendship, but it is much closer to it than 'our strongest preferences are irreconcilable'."

[unmarred]

"Oh, I don't want you to die either," he sighs.