#the moment laurence is even slightly freed from the norms and expectations that had previously held him

[cypresstrees]

his majesty’s dragon is so fun because, on one hand, we are introduced to laurence as a man deep in Society, service, duty, etc. he clearly believes in Doing What is Proper according to the times and society he’s in, and seems a little unyielding about it.

but then in the aerial corps he immediately starts changing the way aviators do things for temeraire: taking off his harness when they’re not training, rubbing him down after eating, taking him swimming — all the while implying to lifelong aviators' faces that they don’t care for their dragons or their duty because they’re not doing these things too. he suggests hollin for a winchester egg even though most ground crew never even get a real harness.

like, why is anybody even surprised laurence becomes a giant pain in the admiralty's ass. it was right there from the start, he just keeps upping the ante