sunlit_stone

Except that although Miles probably believes that on one level, it's not even slightly how he actually lives his life, so he's really only arguing to make Duv pick him.

Haha, EXACTLY! :D

and now I'm imagining Gregor offering in a very serous voice to make sure that Laurence's awards are extra deliberately shiny, and Temeraire taking him up on it delightedly

This is such a wonderful mental image! And Laurence is probably looking at Illyan in mute appeal, despairing of Simon being highly unsympathetic of his plight.

It's kind of like the whole situation with Taura, only more so.

That is an excellent point of comparison! (Miles probably is rather sad the spacedragon didn't want to join the Dendarii, but it's definitely for the best.)

Simon: "Money, power, sex...and spacedragons."

XD