Jag - The Collingwood Christmas Party

[hollow_moon]

The party was always the same. Big dresses, men in fine tailored suits, rich food, bountiful drink... It was opulent and glitzy, and Val sort of loved it. Sometimes they rented ballrooms or hotels, but this year his mother had chosen the family home, wanting to show off the restorations she'd had done, and take advantage of the decent weather that allowed their guests to explore the large and beautiful gardens.

He'd gotten a few curious looks from certain relatives when he'd turned up with Jag on his arm, but most of his family hardly batted a lash- And many were open and friendly, making a point of coming over and saying hello.

His mother, however, had been fairly illusive, so busy flitting about that she'd barely had time to wave hello. It was only now, when Val was wondering if  maybe it was time to start heading out, that she seemed to appear out of nowhere and came rushing over. Her hair was a perfect shade of silver, long and thick, but styled neatly into a loose bun. She was wearing a long and flowing evening gown, but her jewellery was simple, a necklace with a single Tahitian pearl, and a set of simple silver channel earrings.

"Oh, Valentine! Look at you," she smiled, cupping Val's face in her hands and smiling warmly. "You've cut your hair! It looks so smart. Still not sure about the eyeliner- Though I'm impressed you can get the waterline filled in so well," she chuckled, kissing his cheek and then taking a step back. "You didn't think you could escape without introducing me to your friend, did you?"

Val smiled, and almost blushed- Though he'd deny it if anyone suggested he had. "Date, actually. Mum, this is Jag, Jag this is my mother, Margaret Collingwood."

Margaret smiled brightly, offering her hand. "Lovely to meet you, Jag."

Comments

[jageskro]

"'Course," Jag agreed, not wanting to hold her back - and looking forward to being alone with Val.

[hollow_moon]

"Say hello to your father before you go," his mother reminded him. "And Jag, it was lovely meeting you. Hopefully I'll see you again soon."

Val got to his feet, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek, then offered his hand to Jag.

"Should we go see the ice sculptures?" he offered.

[jageskro]

Jag had been hoping they could steal a few quiet moments here, away from the party, but he sailed right past that disappointment to take Val's hand and get to his feet. "It was nice meeting you," Jag told his mother with a small smile.

[hollow_moon]

Val smiled brightly, leading the way out the room- But rather than head back down, he took Jag to what had been his childhood bedroom- But now served as a craft room of sorts that his mother had taken over. What remained, however, was a balcony that looked out over the garden.

"This used to be my room when I was a boy," he said. "I came out here often."

[jageskro]

Jag looked around the room as they walked through it, for any hint of what it had once been, but happily followed Val onto the balcony. If asked, the cold would be his excuse for stepping up against Val's back, winding his arms around his stomach. "Quite a view," he stated, resting his chin on Val's shoulder. He was already relaxing from just being the two of them.

[hollow_moon]

Val leaned back smiling softly. "I had a telescope, I used to look at the stars," he confessed.

[jageskro]

It might be silly, but a moment like this, with Val leaning so easily back against him and telling him about his childhood, made all of that long, tiring evening worth it. Jag smiled, and turned his head in slightly to nose at the shell of his ear, before kissing it. "You don't anymore?"

[hollow_moon]

"Hard to see stars in the heart of the city," Val shrugged, closing his eyes and smiling softly.

[jageskro]

"So we should get out of the city to some place we can see them better more regularly," Jag said quietly, focusing on Val, and the stars, rather than the people milling about the garden, admiring (or criticising) the ice sculptures.

[hollow_moon]

"Yeah? Do you think you'd really like that? I've a cottage in the country you know. Not a family home, just mine. Needs fixing up, actually- I've just never done it," Val confessed.

[jageskro]

"Aaand we have a project!" Jag said softly, on the same tone he might have said 'we have a winner'. He kissed Val's cheek, smiling a little; he liked making plans for when Val would be back. It meant something.

[hollow_moon]

Val chuckled, then turned in Jag's arms to return the kiss properly.

"I'm glad you sound so excited," he confessed.

[jageskro]

"It's gonna be a long month, is all," Jag answered, slightly self-conscious about it now. Although having Val in his arms made it better. Having Val in his arms made everything better.

[hollow_moon]

"I'll miss you," Val said quietly. "God, I'm going to miss you. Month feels like such a long time."

[jageskro]

"You'll be focusing on other things, though," Jag stated, raising a hand that was still warm, despite the cold air, to cradle Val's face. "You'll be fine." He would be as well, of course, but... yeah.

[hollow_moon]

"And when I come back, hopefully I'll have changed for the better, hmm?" he smiled, turning his head and kissing the tips of Jag's fingers.

[jageskro]

"No," Jag answered, frowning slightly at Val's phrasing. But Jag was shit with words, and had trouble finding the right words for this. "Not changed, just... in better control? Hopefully." And hopefully, those were the right words for it.

[hollow_moon]

"Right, I suppose that's a better way to think of it..." Val shrugged.

[jageskro]

"I don't know, I just - I don't need you to change, I think, is what I'm saying," Jag stated, searching Val's eyes to see if he understood.

[hollow_moon]

Val nodded, then offered a teasing smile. "You like me just as I am, huh?" he grinned.

[jageskro]

"Something like that," Jag confirmed with a half smile, and couldn't help but lean in to kiss that cheeky grin of Val's. His smiles always did him in, what could he say.

[hollow_moon]

Val returned the kiss, letting it linger, then sighing.

"We don't really have to say hello to my father, we can go if you'd like," he offered.

[jageskro]

"What do you want?" Jag asked honestly. If it was up to him, they'd just fuck off already, but this was Val's family.

[hollow_moon]

"I... I love my dad, I do. I just- I don't want him to make a bad impression on you. He'll be grumpy, he hates parties, and- Well. The first thing he's going to ask when you tell him what you do for a living is ask what you plan to do with your future. He'll ask about job security, about retirement. ...He can't help it, he's just like that. He can't stand when people don't have a plan. Especially when those people are involved with me. ...He worries. About me being taken advantage of, about my future, and he doesn't always come off as caring when he's concerned, even when caring is his motivation."

[jageskro]

"I hate to break it to you, but I already think he's an arsehole," Jag stated with a wince. Val probably didn't want to hear it, but it wasn't as if Jag had ever hidden his opinion of what Val had told him about his dad. "I mean, the bad impression's already made. If you want me to meet him, though, I will, and I'll - behave," he settled on, since that was the idea, no matter how much he disliked it. "Or if you want to go and have a quick word without me around, that's fine, too."