For Jag

[hollow_moon]

Their time together at his grandfather's had been lovely, and spent mostly in bed. Eventually, however, Val had been forced to return to work, and he was certain Jag would have to do the same.

"I've a lot going on in the next week, but I swear I'll call you the moment I've got it all under control," he'd promised- And he'd been true to his word, inviting Jag to join him for dinner the first chance he got.

He'd considered restaurants, but Jag wasn't much for being spoiled in Val's experience. He'd have gladly cooked a meal for the man himself, but he hadn't had a chance to pick up groceries, and they'd never be delivered on time... So he'd settled on a catered dinner at the museum. Nothing too posh, but a nice mix of South Korean cuisine that he hoped Jag would like. 

Meeting at the museum meant Val could work right up until the moment Jag arrived- Something he didn't find ideal, but was certainly necessary at the moment while they switched out several of the exhibits and went through various requests to lend out certain items.

"I'll leave the back door unlocked," he'd told Jag. "Just let yourself in, I'll likely hear you coming, but if i don't I'll just be in my office."

Comments

[hollow_moon]

Val relaxed, then smiled faintly.

"Lovely," he grinned. "Lovely- Let's sit, let's eat. I'll open the bottle."

[jageskro]

"Of couse, yes," Jag agreed, reluctantly moving away to let him do just that. He snatched a piece of chicken off a plate to nibble on, then turned back to Val as he took care of the bottle. "So. How've you been?"

[hollow_moon]

"Busy," Val sighed. "We're switching some exhibits out for the new season, and there are dozens of collections about to go out on tour... It's been nothing but paperwork. I'm drowning in it," he confessed as he popped the cork.

[jageskro]

"So we took our little holiday at the exact wrong time, yeah?" Jag noted, amused and sympathetic, but not in the least bit remorseful.

[hollow_moon]

"A bit," Val confessed. "I don't regret it though, not at all. ...Just means I've some catching up to do, that's all."

He poured them each a glass, then took a seat, starting to fill his plate and gesturing for Jag to do the same.

"What about you? Have you been busy?" he asked.

[jageskro]

Jag followed suit, and wasn't shy about piling things up on his plate. And then some. "Back to the usual. Busking, drinking and making the most of life." There was something to be said for living day to day, or close enough. "Trying to forget about the bad parts of Halloween, too."

[hollow_moon]

"Yes. A lot about that night's been haunting me- Though mostly overshadowed by the good that came after," he added with a soft smile.

[jageskro]

"It's weird, innit?" Jag agreed with a nod, still helping himself to food. "Not being able to completely hate it?"

[hollow_moon]

"It's quite frustrating. I want to be angry, but... Well, then I remember that it lead to finding you. ...I'd not trade that reunion for anything," Val agreed softly.

[jageskro]

Jag met his eyes for a second, smiling softly, and then turned to the food and started eating. "Yeah, that's it exactly. This is good," he added after a first bite, smiling over at Val again.

[hollow_moon]

"I'm glad you like it," Val smiled, picking at his own food, though his full attention was on Jag.

[jageskro]

"We could've skipped the food and I'd've been happy," Jag replied, eyes warm as his foot found Val's under the table, resting his ankle against his. "But yeah," he added with a grin, "good food doesn't hurt."

[hollow_moon]

"I wont pretend that's not tempting," Val laughed, bumping Jag's foot in return. "Though I did think, perhaps, it would be good for us to simply... Well, talk, you know? I feel like we've both been avoiding it a bit."

[jageskro]

Jag winced slightly, then offered, "A bit?" He'd been avoiding it a lot, personally. "Yeah, yeah, it'd be good. I just -" He wasn't sure he'd keep having an appetite for much longer, if they did, but they sort of had to, at some point. Preferably before the wolf took charge again and... "Where do you want to start?"

[hollow_moon]

"I don't know," Val sighed. "I suppose a good place to start would be... The wolf. The things I said when he- Well, you know. When he's in control I get cruel- Vicious even."

[jageskro]

Jag swallowed the bite he'd just had and put his hands down on the table. "Yeah but - what you said - it was all true, wasn't it? It was what you felt?"

[hollow_moon]

"It was voicing fears I had in a cruel way," Val replied. "Maybe more than fears- I don't know... I only know I never meant to hurt you with my words."

[jageskro]

"What do you mean, more than fears?" Jag asked, frowning as he kept on eating.

[hollow_moon]

"I just mean- I just mean I was an ass," Val sighed. "That's all."

[jageskro]

Jag wasn't sure if he should insist or not, since Val hadn't really answered his question. Was he evading, or saying the truth? Was there more to it or not? He didn't have a clue, and he didn't want to overstep. "At least you had an excuse," he settled on finally, taking the easy way out.

[hollow_moon]

"Having an excuse doesn't make my behaviour acceptable, Jag," Val assured him.

[jageskro]

Jag opened his mouth to retort, but then closed it again. Took a second, and then nodded. "All right. But that's not the point. The point's to suss out how to do this without hurting each other, right?"

[hollow_moon]

"Yes, I suppose that's true. ...I'm not sure how though. I'm not sure what we do to avoid what is clearly in our nature. Both our natures," he added quietly.

[jageskro]

"I think - we don't fan the flames, yeah?" he offered, with a not that sheepish smile for going for the obvious fire metaphor. "Talk about what we could use to hurt each other, so we can't anymore?"

[hollow_moon]

"That seems sensible," Val agreed. "I'll warn you from now on- When I'm not myself, I mean. I'll warn you, and maybe... Maybe it's best we stay apart on those days, at least at first while we find our footing."