Sockpuppeting and Open RP: A Thoughtful Brice

[angelicbadboy]

((First cut leads to an explanation on where Brice and Lola were and why Mel is in the dark about it (WARNING: very lengthy), and the other is an invite to go say hi to the pondering angel boy. =) ))

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[chaotic_miles]

Miles had been jogging along, needing to burn off some restless energy. Boredom was something he had managed to stave off fairly well, but here at Hogwarts things were different.

As he made his way around the lake, he spotted a young man sitting alone, looking pensive and nervous and clutching a box. It did not take a huge leap of logic for Miles to assume that the stranger was wrestling with something to do with romance.

Miles was probably not the best person to ask about romance, since his taste in women had been questioned on more than one occasion, (mostly, but not always, by his cousin, Ivan), but never let it be said he wasn't up for doing his good deed for the day.

Miles slowed to a walk as he approached the tree Brice was leaning against. "Hey," he said brightly. "Is that what I think it is?" He indicated the box and then dropped down to lean against another, nearby tree, taking it for granted that his presence would be welcome.

[angelicbadboy]

It was welcome. Well, sort of. Brice enjoyed a bit of company from time to time, especially now that he was a bit at loss for what to do. He didn't often open up to people. He was a DIY kind of guy, but when it came to stuff like this, with romance and girls, he was somewhat lacking. Spending a lot of quality time in Hell could do that to you. It did sometimes feel like he'd been raised by wolves, and missed out on something that came naturally for most people.

He looked up at Miles. It took a moment for Brice's blue eyes to lose some of that thoughtfulness - he'd been deep inside his own head - and a few seconds after that for him to really hear the question. He looked down at the box.

"Probably," he said with more calm than he felt. "Engagement ring. Sort of, anyway." He let out a small sigh. "You don't happen to have any experience with proposals, do you? Like, how to make sure they pan out the way you'd planned?" Because seriously, he was clueless here.

[chaotic_miles]

Miles really wasn't good at proposals, at least, not by this point in his life, though his engagement would later prove to be far from uneventful. But a little thing like inexperience was hardly going to stop him.

"I thought it might be an engagement ring," he said sagely. "How long have you known the girl? Is she going to expect this, or is this going to be a surprise?"

[angelicbadboy]

How long? It was hard to measure time in Heaven. It didn't work like it does on Earth. But Brice knew Mel from before, somehow. They had that cosmic connection that had pulled him out of Hell and back where he should be, because he'd seen her and finally realized that he couldn't continue like this. He didn't know where the connection came from. Their souls were linked.

"Ages," he eventually replied. "Been dating for over a year. We live together, here. And I knew her for months before we got together." He turned over the box and added, "I don't know if she suspects anything. Her best friend helped me pick out the ring, and they tell each other everything. I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up blabbing." And would that be good or bad? He wasn't sure. Part of him sort of wanted Mel to already know what was going on, to take the edge off it, and at the same time he wanted to surprise her.

"Mostly a surprise, I think. I just don't really know how to ask." He made a face. "Don't want to mess it up, obviously."

[chaotic_miles]

Miles considered that. "Well, I guess it all depends on how you think she'll react," he mused. "I mean, I guess there's the traditional approach--down on one knee, a nice dinner before, that sort of thing. Or you could send her an owl, maybe, with a love letter and the ring enclosed. Or, I don't know, there's always that radio studio. It depends on how easily embarrassed she is."

[angelicbadboy]

Very true. "I think I'd rather do it in person." The radio thing wasn't bad, but it was too public. Mel might not like it. But maybe he could wish for a song. Anonymously. "Yeah, it'll probably be something traditional. I'm just hoping she won't freak out." Like she had before. Brice sighed. "I'll have to explain that we don't, you know, have to get married right away. It's more of a promise ring. I mean, we're both still teenagers. I'm not stupid." Of course, explaining his train of thought would rather take the romance out of the proposal, but that was alright. The important thing was that she understood.

"There are just so many ways to do it. I guess I could take her to the beach. She likes the beach." Everything to calm her down. "Maybe a picnic," he mused. "That's nice and relaxing, right?"

[chaotic_miles]

Miles nodded. "I think that's a good idea. On the other hand, maybe you shouldn't overthink the proposal so much. You'll get yourself all tied up in knots and planning out every contingency that it'll take the fun out of the whole thing. And you want the day to be special for both of you, not something you agonize over until, when you finally actually ask her, it becomes a complete relief just to have gotten it over with."

[angelicbadboy]

Yeah. Okay. It was making sense.

"You're right. You're pretty smart," Brice remarked absentmindedly. The box was turned again. They could have a party. Mel liked parties. "I just really want her to say yes," he added with a sigh. "Guess I'm obsessing over it." And to think that he used to be bad-ass. He used to be so cool. Oh how the mighty fall... He blames two things for this, one being Mel, the other being getting a puppy. It's hard to be bad when there are two pairs of adorable eyes looking at you.

Pull yourself together, grumbled his inner angel (which had had to put up with a lot of things from Brice through the years). You want to do it, don't you? So stop agonizing. This guy has a point.

Brice looked up at Miles and, slightly prodded by his slightly more celestial self. "Thanks. Appreciate it."

[chaotic_miles]

((OOC: Bleh. Let me try that again, only this time, more articulately.))

Miles's mouth twitched in a grin. "Yeah," he said brightly. "A party would be great! That way everyone could celebrate along with you. And anyway, it sounds like she'd be a fool to turn you down, because most guys kind of suck at the whole being romantic thing." This probably included himself. He didn't have that much experience, really, but he was glad to offer up the advice he made up as he went along.

[angelicbadboy]

Brice couldn't hold back his snort of disbelief. Romance? It felt more like he was planning this whole event until it fell apart like overcooked cauliflower. He'd never been good at the boyfriend thing. He misjudged and barged into things way quicker than she liked, to clumsily make up for the times when he'd messed everything up. Yeah, that happened way more often than it should. He seemed to completely lack any kind of sensibility when it came to knowing what Mel wanted to be happy.

"Right. Consider yourself invited, then," he said, in a slightly gruff voice that was not meant to sound unfriendly. Hey, he'd already thanked him. It was a guy thing. "What's your name?"

[chaotic_miles]

"Cool!" Miles said with another of those grins. He offered a hand. "Yeah, I guess we should get around to exchanging names after that... really personal conversation. Lord Miles Vorkosigan, late of Barrayar, at your service."

[angelicbadboy]

Look at that, a Lord... But he was friendlier than the Lords Brice had been introduced to in his childhood (and kept away from when he grew up to be a juvenile delinquent) so he was prepared to forgive Miles for that.

"Brice de Winter," he said, shaking the offered hand. "Yeah, got a bit personal there. Sorry 'bout that."

[chaotic_miles]

Miles flashed another grin. "It could be worse. Believe me," he commented. "This doesn't have anything on some of the stuff my cousin Ivan used to tell me after he'd had a bit too much wine. Ivan wasn't, uh, exactly the marrying kind, if you get my meaning."

[angelicbadboy]

Brice made a face. "I get your meaning. I had a couple in my family." A long time ago. His mother would always make sure no one important saw any of the de Winter family behave out of order, though. This of course only made Brice act out in public more and more often. Fun times.

[chaotic_miles]

Miles nodded. "Yeah. Family. They make life interesting."

He stood up, offering another grin. "Well, good luck with the proposal," he said.