Okay, last headcanon and I'll stop harassing y'all after this.

So you know how Mark Vorkosigan has been trained to have the same body language as Miles Vorkosigan, whose body language is really a less effortless rendition of Aral's? And then Dono is told to just imitate Aral whenever he's scared he isn't passing well enough and, well, do you ever imagine these four men being somewhere together and just accidentally striking the exact same pose or making the exact same gesture at the same time?

Like someone is explaining something and they are listening attentively, brows elegantly furrowed, hands in their pockets and feet spread apart in a manly, assertive way, and when the particularly complicated part comes along they all rub their chins in contemplation and it goes from manly dignity to absolutely fucking ridiculous?

LISTEN I understand that Miles is obsessed with joining the military because he was born into a military caste, he's constantly hearing about his parents' military exploits, and also everyone told him he couldn't, but he's incapable of following orders because as soon as someone tells him to do something he's like "what if I did something better though". He has absolutely no respect for the chain of command and is mostly loyal to the emperor because they're kind of bros. This kid does not belong in the military. Even spec ops is pushing it. Take the L before you get court martialed for real, buddy. Nepotism can only save you so many times.

Miles keeps internally going "ugh nobody knows about all the cool shit I did so they think I have my position due to nepotism". Miles you have your HEAD due to nepotism. I have lost track of the military crimes you've committed.

Damn, Miles?!?!

Memory, by Lois McMaster Bujold

Okay, last headcanon and I'll stop harassing y'all after this.

So you know how Mark Vorkosigan has been trained to have the same body language as Miles Vorkosigan, whose body language is really a less effortless rendition of Aral's? And then Dono is told to just imitate Aral whenever he's scared he isn't passing well enough and, well, do you ever imagine these four men being somewhere together and just accidentally striking the exact same pose or making the exact same gesture at the same time?

Like someone is explaining something and they are listening attentively, brows elegantly furrowed, hands in their pockets and feet spread apart in a manly, assertive way, and when the particularly complicated part comes along they all rub their chins in contemplation and it goes from manly dignity to absolutely fucking ridiculous?

Imagine you're a PHD candidate at Vorbar Sultana university and you’re nearly done with your dissertation on the effects the Vorkosigan family has had on galactic politics and they unclassify Miles' service record right before you're done.

Vorkosigan

   The thing I love about the Vorkosigan Saga* is that MOST protagonists who go hogwild for Found Family are trying to replace a biological family that is absent or unsatisfactory. Miles comes from a family where his parents love each other dearly and adore their hyperactive disabled son - and he STILL goes out into the galaxy and says

To the strung out jump pilot that he literally met minutes ago - I’ll just adopt YOU here put your hands between mine for the ceremony

To the homeless military deserter who would be under sentence of death if anybody knew where he was OH HEY, you’re mine, too, come with me to my [new] ship with the pilot I’ve known a whole day, now

To the soldier who got her face burned in the first big battle MA’AM I will get you the best possible reconstructive surgery plus also you are family, now

To the 8-foot tall genetically engineered nightmare with fangs crouched in a dungeon (sorta) MISS you are so tall and beautiful I will break you out of here and you can join my mercenaries plus also I want to take care of you at the end of your life, because I love you so much

To the unauthorized CLONE who was raised to assassinate his politically important father WELL, dude, legally you’re my brother so you should really go home and meet Mom and Dad

I just. Love those books so much.

* Lois McMaster Bujold, author