bakerstreet | It's a bit of a posture, it's a bit of a stance.

[who doesn't like a bit of salt and pepper?]

[ Things could have gone very differently for Fiddleford if it weren't for a former(-ish) friend coming to his aid. With his marriage having fallen apart and his memory getting worse and worse—admittedly through his own doing—his life has been on a downward spiral. There's no doubt that it all would have only gotten more disastrous if he'd been left to his own devices. Fortunately Stanford's timely intervention and sudden reappearance in his life stopped that. The only thing that's caused some complication is the fact that his friend is 30 years older than he's supposed to be.

That still takes some getting used to, but the company has been good for him. To not be alone anymore helps immensely, having someone near grounds him. Plus Ford has been helpful in recovering his memories and keeping him from erasing more whenever he feels anxious. It's been good, all things considered, if not a little strange what with the time travel shenanigans.

But that's just what Gravity Falls is like, or so he's been told. (Which does line up with what he's been vaguely remembering, at least.)

He's been falling into a much-needed routine and so every morning starts with him seeking out Stanford, just to see if he hasn't been dreaming it all up. Part of the routine includes a small touch to Ford's arm in both greeting and a reminder to himself that this is real and his friend is here. This morning is no different as he makes his way into the kitchen. ]

Good morning.

[Shall we? We can AU her to his time or vice versa or just pretend they're in some sort of weird jamjar vacuum thing. I'm happy to start.]

( Let's keep it age appropriate, please! )

[Did you have anything particular in mind? Obviously puppy love is involved.]

[ m/f, open to cross-canon. ]

[M/F, F/F, F/Fillintheblank, let's go!]

Edited 2016-08-28 04:44 (UTC)

( ivan xav vorpatril is here, in america, to officially to help drum up support for the united states to enter the war. his handlers had been very clear on who he could talk to, how he could talk to them, and where he can go. ivan has, for the most part, been okay with that. it's not so bad; and they keep giving him free food and free alcohol. unfortunately for him, his cousin doesn't share the same sentiment. desperate to go and see america, that's what miles vorkosigan was here for, and was going to use this chance away from the front to do. which means that ivan, being ivan, has found himself tagging along behind his cousin. who is going to get into trouble, because that's just what miles vorkosigan does, and he along with him.

this vastly unfair and unequal exchange is evened out, ivan supposes, by the fact that he's surrounded by the women of america. or at least in theory, as they tend to be occupied with their own things. while miles is out causing trouble for the local police force by getting in over his head, ivan has a date. dancing, with some librarian he'd chatted up on the street in accented english two nights ago. the red army uniform, ivan thinks, absolutely helped his cause before; it's why he's wearing it now while he waits for her outside her workplace. he's clutching a rather decent looking bouquet of flowers for the meager amount of american money he'd been allowed to handle; girls in russia seemed to like it. girls here would like it too, as far as he's aware. they're all the same, really. just different spins on the same tricks.

but he likes her, she's bright and charming and, like he said, very pretty. he has looking good in a uniform and being very naturally attractive in his favor, along with being foreign. what could possibly go wrong? )

[Elizabeth is not a librarian. That's what could go wrong.]

[Yes, she'd said she was a librarian when Ivan had asked, because that was her go-to cover. After the first couple of encounters with men on the street asking her what she did, she realized that saying 'oh, nothing...' wasn't a terribly good way to continue a conversation. But she can't say she's a code breaker, that's classified. Also who would believe it? A female codebreaker? Preposterous. ...Nevermind most of her coworkers were women...]

[So saying she's a librarian is a lot easier, and allows her to walk out of the library like she's just gotten off work when actually she's come through the back door. Maybe the subterfuge was crazy, maybe it's more trouble than it would be worth in the end... but Ivan. Ivan... She could listen to his voice and watch him smile all day and it would be worth a thousand lies about where she was going after work and who she was seeing.]

[It isn't as though they're going to fire her. There's something that would be more trouble than it was worth, plus Elizabeth read code like musicians read sheet music. Her work saved lives numerous times, one date with a Red Army officer wasn't about to invalidate all of that, was it...? They weren't even involved in the war in any official capacity yet anyway.]

[These were the reasons she'd told her superiors she was going home to wash her hair. Because it was none of their business where she went with who when she wasn't on duty. Elizabeth comes out of the library, spotting Ivan immediately and waving.]

Ivan! [She trots quickly down the stairs, seemingly more excited when she sees that he's carrying a bouquet. Yes, girls in America like flowers from guys, too.] What've you got there, hmm?

Elizabeth. ( the name sounds slightly off when he tries to pronounce it, coming out more like the elizaveta of his native language. english, with no gender and overflowing articles, has never been his best language second language -- that's the french he learned. but all of that doesn't matter when ivan sees her, dressed as she is. his eyes light up to match his smile -- he doesn't bow, but instead leans down to take her hand and kiss it in greeting.

then shifting his attention to the flowers she'd mentioned, he gives her a small, almost surprised look. ) These? Something I picked up on way here. You like them?

[Ivan can call her whatver he likes, he's kissing her hand. It's the kind of thing she's only read about, simple and romantic, but somehow always overlooked by the couple of men who'd taken her out before. Maybe because they worked with her, and had some strange idea that she was strictly scientific and cold. Ivan knows almost nothing about her, and it's probably better. No intimidation, no preconcieved notions, just her.]

[Elizabeth fixes him with a little skeptical smirk at his attempt to pass off the flowers as a happy coincidence.] Well, far be it from me to separate a man from his flowers-- especially if his current accomodations aren't as warm as he's used to. I'll say you have good taste in arrangements, though...

( ivan believes that all women generally like romantic gestures at first. or at least the women he tends to go after -- the uniformed ones in the military with him tend to be more likely to shoot him than actually appreciate his advances. alas.

he offers her his arm before looking as if he's debating handing over the bouquet. )

I do not know what you have been told, but Moscow does not have warm accommodations. It is very cold. ( in winter, at least. ) You like? My mother -- she was ( here he frowns, trying to find the right word. ) knyaginya? Nobility.

( he can say such a thing here, without drawing scorn from those around him. ivan was three when the revolution happened, older still when the civil war ended. old enough to remember the purges. the things he can't speak of, and this is something he has to hide. but here, in america? where they ignore such things without punishing them for it? he feels like he can. )

She knew such things and taught me.

( but he hands it over to her all the same, with a winning smile. )

[Elizabeth takes the offered arm with a an awkward grin.] It's a figure of speech. Not literally warm. Just welcoming.

[Ivan's casual use of Russian terms draws less of a blank stare than it might with someone unfamiliar with the language. Elizabeth is by no means fluent, but Russian, Italian, German... German especially she knows.]

[But Ivan's expectation of her paying his heritage no mind is spot on. She knows her history, but does she care? Aside from being happy he's alive, not really.]

She's taught you well, then. [Elizabeth happily accepts the bouquet and cradles it in her free arm, feeling very fancy as she walks down the sidewalk with a boy on her arm.] So, where are we going?

( it doesn't matter how awkward it is, smiling at people one barely knows is a weird custom that ivan has found he's been enjoying. it's just not done, in russia. )

Yes. Maybe not so happy with other choices, but that is mothers. ( he's just terrified of his. it's fine. as for where they're going, he smiles down at her again. he'd looked up places to go, places where a uniformed red army lieutenant wouldn't stick out so much as he knows he does. apparently everyone goes to these sorts of places, and he'd found one nearby, so why not? ) Dancing. I found dance hall nearby, thinking it will be fun. You do like dancing, yes? Most Americans do, when I watch them.

( there'd been plenty of dancing at the formal events he'd been to, although everyone was careful to only let him dance supervised, and with pre-approved candidates. elizabeth is not someone approved, and there's certainly no supervision going on now. ivan assumes that he won't even get written up for it -- his superiors will have their hands full with his cousin. )

...I suppose that's how mothers are, yes. [She can suppose, she doesn't know, though.] I imagine she wasn't too happy when you joined the army, right? Even though you're gallavanting around New York with Americans instead of in a trench somewhere, she must be worried.

[But all that aside, parents disapproving of the choices their children make ~~she's a little sorry, Booker~~, dancing. Ivan has hit the jackpot, Elizabeth's face lights up when he relays the plan for the night, but she still can't help but get a little barb in there--]

You watch a lot of Americans, do you? [She laughs and holds herself on Ivan's arm a little closer.] Yes, I love dancing. Especially when I can convince somebody to go with me.

Not so happy with a lot of things. ( ivan confesses with a small shrug. least of all the loss of everything that made her who she was; losing money had been hard, losing the rank and status that gave his mother no small amount of power had been harder. ) At least army is respectable, almost traditional. Like joining Imperial Army like my father. Only no tsar.

( as for watching americans, well. ivan gives her another grin, happy to have her there on his arm. they make a good couple, in his estimation -- both of them dark haired, but her far more paler than he. ) Only some. Dancing is not only American hobby. But you are knowing how to make experience out of it, yes?

( he'd kiss her hand, if he could, but that would involve detangling himself and, well, he'll do it later. )

I am happy to be convinced, Elizabeth.

Ah... [The image of Ivan's mother being concerned about him in a trench suddenly takes a very different tone-- maybe she's worried about him gallavanting around New York with American women instead. Respectable traditions like joining the army probably meant a healthy dose of nationalism too, right? Well, it isn't as though Elizabeth is about to meet Ivan's mother anytime soon-- or ever, possibly.]

[...Still. If she ever catches a dark-haired Russian woman staring at her, she'll probably look the other way very quickly.]

We don't do anything by halves here, I'll say that. [She laughs, wondering if she's going to have to teach Ivan how to make an 'experience' out of it, or if he's already picked it up from some other partners. Elizabeth is more than up to the task, she can even lead if she has to-- though it'd be nice if she didn't.]

[The kiss is definitely implied in his tone, very definitely, and she blushes happily. Maybe it's a testament to how inexperienced she is in dating and the like, but it's nice to be going out with someone who seems just as excited.]

It's going to be a good night, then.

( a practical amount of nationalism required to get through life in soviet russia, especially when there's the danger of not being proletarian enough to suit the leadership. )

No, it is what we are hoping for. Internationally. ( open up another front and so on. ) But I am also hoping for excellent night, not good.

( aim high, ivan vorpatril. aim high. )

[Elizabeth pauses and looks at him curiously, maybe with a little trepidation. She has to remind herself that he has no idea what she does (she's pretty sure), and that this isn't a 'work outing'. This is a date. And they're just talking current events. Hard not to do in these times.]

I... hope the same thing. [She offers a small smile.] I hope our conscience gets to us before something dire happens, if you want my honest opinion. I know it's not a popular one, but... [Elizabeth shrugs-- and lets Ivan aim high.]

I'm open to an excellent night. [And then she hears the music coming from the hall and grins at him, taking his hand and all but dragging him through the door.]

If you are model, average American perhaps there is hope.

( he says, without any trace of knowledge that she might be more than meets the eye. it's a simple sincerity, but politics is replaced with a grin as she tugs him forward, and he laughs the moment they're in. )

Drinks first? Or dancing?

( ivan is russian and will opt for drinks first if she doesn't stop him. )

[If she's a 'model, average American'. There's a laugh. At least she doesn't have to play the Model, Average American for long-- Ivan seems perfectly happy to get to the crux of the evening and Elizabeth isn't about to let him get back into politics anytime soon. Too much question dodging.]

[She hesitates when presented with the options, though. Ivan is Russian, and while Elizabeth tries not to fall too far into stereotypes, she's thinking he probably wants one. And she might need one before she starts to lose her socializing stamina.]

I could go for one. I'll have whatever you're having. [It isn't as though she knows a lot about drinking. Truth be told, she tries to avoid it because of her job and her father. She doesn't want to end up like him, and with the pressures put on her every day at the office it would be an easy thing to do.]

You will?

( he asks, rather surprised. well, far be it from him to turn away a lady from a drink. ivan grins, flashing her a winning smile, before kissing her hand and darting off to get them both drinks. he returns in short order, this time with two shot glasses of vodka.

he passes her one with a smile, before throwing his back as if it's the most natural thing to do. ivan vorpatril might have a tiny bit of a drinking problem, but his saving grace is it never inspires him towards violence or anger. or sickness, really, which is a blessing. )

Not as good as Russian vodka. ( he says with a small sigh, staring at the empty glass in his hand. ) But America is holding other things of value, yes?

( like her. )

[...well then. The shot is definitely not something she expected, and when Ivan hands it to her she looks at the glass almost like he's brought her a chair instead of a drink. Elizabeth watches him down the stuff like it's a glass of water, a million miles away as she realizes she's going to have to do that and she has no idea how to. Just pitch the stuff back into her mouth and swallow, right? How did he even taste it enough to know it wasn't good...?]

Right, like-- [Like her, and their entire information operation, but that's not something she's going to talk about.] --like this music! [Elizabeth gestures to the band playing, then tries the shot. Predictably, it hits the back of her throat and she just barely swallows before she starts coughing. Wow. Wow. That is not enjoyable.]

((wanna change it up and have him be courted, for once.))

( M/F and F/F both okay!)

[the problem with expressing any sort of sentimental feeling towards integra is that if she finds the feeling and she doesn't like it, he's 1000% sure she'll kill it. it's not that she's a heartless monster (that's him), it's just... she doesn't have time for nonsense. she has time for what's important, and what needs to be attended to. she's pragmatic, which he truly admires, but that makes it so hard for him to do things for her. she's not the sort to be wooed by roses and poetry and candlelit dinners. her speed is probably a horror story, but in german. (maybe that's why she visits him so much, spends time with him in his castle. he's a french horror story.)

still, she is a woman, one he cares for immensely (gross), and deserves to be showered with affection. alas, he can't come up with anything for. unbeknownst to him, she's in the castle, doing her integra thing, so really, he has very little time to orchestrate any sort of courting action. what would lumiere think of him? ugh, he deserves to stay a beast because he's a loser who can't think of way to make his badass girlfriend smile. rip.]

It's a bit of a posture, it's a bit of a stance.

elsa of arendelle | ouat.

angie martinelli | agent carter

satine kryze | star wars (precanon)

Clara Oswald | Doctor Who | OTA

Guinevere || BBCs Merlin || OTA

Fa Mulan | Disney's Mulan

Hermione Granger ~ Harry Potter

Judy Hopps | Zootopia

Ruby Lucas / Red | OUaT

Esther Loveless | OC

Mary Crawley | Downton Abbey | M/F

stanford pines | gravity falls

SORRY FOR THE DELAY hope this works o/

major benjamin tallmadge | amc's turn: washington's spies

no subject

england | hetalia

Grace Ford | OC

Eugene Sledge | The Pacific

Bucky Barnes | MCU | M/M

Himari Takakura ( Mawaru Penguindrum )

no subject

lioriley | original | ota

Rey | SW:TFA | OTA

dick winters | band of brothers

Elizabeth DeWitt || Bioshock Infinite || OTA

did someone say 1940s au???? no one did but im here anyway

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

amanda grayson | nu!startrek

AkaRed - Boukenger Vs Super Sentai/Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger - Open To Anyone

Natsumi Hikari - Kamen Rider Decade - OTA

Kiriko Shijima - Kamen Rider Drive - OTA

Right - Ressha Sentai ToQger - OTA

cosette | les miserables

Integra Hellsing ( Hellsing )

would you look at the time, it's sin o'clock