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]

"It's all right," Jag stated with a small smile, the sort that was slightly on the awkward side. "I'm sure he's got lots of guests to entertain."

No need to test his 'best behaviour' any more than it already had been.

[hollow_moon]

"Yes, far too busy for us, I'm sure," Val agreed.

"Nonsense. I know you two butt heads over everything, but he loves you. I heard him just yesterday bragging to Ferris about how you're a natural businessman, and how you started that museum from scratch, all by yourself. He loves you- He's just... He's not good at showing it, that's all."

Val sighed, slumping lower in his seat. "If we see him, I will say hello. Alright?"

Margate smiled at that, then nodded. "You didn't RSVP to our New Years party," she noted. "Jag, you just have to come. It's a blast. ...Literally."

[jageskro]

"I, er, I have plans with my flatmates," Jag answered, glancing at Val with surprise. He would have expected her to know that he would be out of the country in just a few days' time.

[hollow_moon]

"Yes, and, um- I'm going to be abroad, actually. I was going to tell you..." Val said, trailing off.

The tea arrived right on time, and Val looked very relieved as he thanked the server and took the tray.

"Shall I pour everyone tea?" he offered.

[jageskro]

"Please," Jag agreed, trying to hide how awkward he felt.

[hollow_moon]

Val poured them each a cup, then sat again.

"You didn't say where you were going," Margaret prodded.

"I'm going to see someone about my condition," Val replied.

"Your condition," she tutted. "You speak of it like you're ill. You're not ill, you're... Special. Gifted."

She glanced at Jag then, wondering if the other man knew.

[jageskro]

Jag didn't feel any better about being here for this conversation; this was a conversation between family, and he didn't have a place witnessing it, he felt.

He thought the truth was a little more complicated than what Val's mum made it sound like, in his case, but he liked her for having that outlook on things, for what it was worth. Still, he just met her gaze, showing no sign of confusion about what they were talking about, and kept quiet, letting them hash it out, for now.

[hollow_moon]

"I want to learn to control the change," Val sighed.

Margaret considered that, then nodded. "I suppose I can understand that desire- Just be careful."

She looked to Jag again, then smiled softly. "How long has my son been hiding you from me then, Jag?" she asked, letting the subject go for now.

[jageskro]

"Just a couple of months," Jag assured her, glad when they changed the subject - and more glad still that she simply accepted what Val wanted.

[hollow_moon]

"We've only started dating though," Val added quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. She wouldn't be happy if she thought he'd been hiding a boyfriend for months.

"You're a step up from the last one," Margaret said with a nod of approval. "She was dreadful, Valerie, wasn't that her name? Dreadful woman. Always looked like she was going to cry. Tried telling me they were meant to be because they were both 'Val's'."

"Mum," Val tutted. "Don't be nasty, it doesn't suit you."

Margaret ignored him though, shaking her head. "She gave me the shivers. Do you know what I mean? Some people when you meet them, you just know they're the bad sort."

[jageskro]

And now they were talking about Val's exes, or at least one of them. This was getting better and better. Jag sipped his tea, wishing it was stronger and resisting the urge to say anything. He could feel it building inside him, the urge to say something unwelcome, and he glanced at Val, hoping he'd understand and steer the conversation away from that topic.

[hollow_moon]

Val offered an apologetic look, but honestly, his mother was prone to chat about whatever she felt like. She had a habit of talking to everyone as though they were her best friend- He was sort of glad she seemed so at ease with Jag- It meant she liked him.

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to hear about how much you disliked my ex girlfriend, mum," Val prodded gently.

"I'm just saying she gave me bad- What's that word? Vibes? She gave me bad vibes," Margaret replied stubbornly.

"Bad vibes?" Val laughed. "What have you been watching that you're saying things like that?"

Margaret shrugged one shoulder and finished her tea. "I was watching a woman clean a house of bad energy with sage on that Tube thing ...The You Tube. Hired her to do ours!" she added cheerfully. "I thought you'd like that. You love that sort of thing."

Val laughed, shaking his head. "Oh dear lord, I really do wish I'd seen Dad's face when you told him you were doing that."

"I'll have you know it was your father who suggested it," Margaret scolded. "He said we ought to call you and ask you to come, but I told him you were far too busy. ...It feels better in the house now though, don't you think? It feels clean," she smiled, before turning her attention to Jag again. "You should film your juggling for You Tube. Good money in that sort of thing you know," she said, putting her cup down and looking at her shoes with a sigh. "I, on the other hand, have a party I ought to get back to."

[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.