[closed]

[thebalrogslayer]

Who: Liam and Gabriel
What: Returning Jack to his rightful owner and leaving the mountain
Where: Erebor
When: Saturday
Warnings: Liam is a warning of his own

When Liam arrives, Gabriel's down in one of the large chambers by the door that they blasted into the mountain.  There's enough space here for Jack to run around, and that's exactly what Gabriel is encouraging, throwing a ball for him to catch and fetch, trying to wear him down a little.  The theory being, between a run around and the excitement of running around for a while, he might be tired enough to make it easier to get him back to Locke.

It also leaves Gabriel free to think, and he's looking fairly thoughtful, seated on a block of fallen masonry, his hair unusually clipped back to keep it (mostly) out of his face.  He's been thinking a lot since Thorir lost his echoes, but he looks up when Liam enters and smiles, standing to greet him and brushing himself off.  "Mae govannen.  Welcome back."

Comments

[arrowpoint]

Liam waves as he approaches. "Hey, how's things?"

He looks like he was about to say more, but he's being rushed by a fluffy corgi who excitedly keeps jumping up on his owner's legs. Liam squats down and allows himself to be licked thoroughly, muttering ridiculous doggy affections to his pet. Finally he just picks Jack up so he can stand an talk to Gabriel.

"Thanks for looking after him, it was a load off my mind, dude."

[thebalrogslayer]

"Not too bad. How're things back in Locke? I heard your father came down." Gabriel says through a laugh as he watches Jack's enthusiastic greeting. Not too much of a surprise, but it's good to see them. He doesn't mind looking after Jack, but it's much better for him to be with his master.

"You know I don't mind helping out. Besides, I don't have much else to do these days. I've been trying to tidy up a bit around here, but really I'm just wandering round aimlessly."

[arrowpoint]

The corgi is not satisfied with the amount of kisses his master has received and continues while Liam talks. He moves his head around to avoid the dog's tongue.

"Uh... I think it's pretty business as usual in Locke. And yeah, dad came down for a while since I was sick --Jack I know you were worried, but stop."

He pushes the dog's muzzle gently away from him for a moment before putting Jack back down on the ground.

"Sorry about that, he thought I was dying... So, why don't you have a lot to do? I know you quit teaching but I thought you still did modeling or something else."

Truthfully he hadn't been paying too much attention, which has him suddenly feeling a little guilty.

[thebalrogslayer]

Chuckling at Jack, Gabriel moves up on the block of masonry, offering Liam a place to sit down. At least then he'll be close enough to pet Jack while being out of reach of his affection. "I was trying to wear him down a bit, but clearly it didn't work.

The modelling was only a side job, though. I was more using it for advertising for my charity. Things did pick up a bit last summer when I came out as on the network, but then after everything that's been in the press since then... It's hardly a steady job anyway, more of a distraction." Not entirely true. He could take it up again properly if he wanted to, now that he's young again, but he didn't enjoy it too much the first time and didn't want to go back to it. "Besides which, I'd have to be in London or Paris or New York, not here. I'll find something, sooner or later."

[arrowpoint]

Liam takes a seat, letting Jack hang out jumped up between his knees on the dog's short legs and rubbing his head between the ears. "He's just happy. It's kind of fun to know what he's thinking now... to bad he doesn't understand me." A pause. "He likes you, by the way."

He listens as Gabriel tells him about the modeling jobs, frowning a little in concern. "So you've got nothing? Do you have enough to live off of? I grew up in New York but I don't know much about modeling there. Just the art scene, a little bit, because of dad."

[thebalrogslayer]

"Don't worry, I've been squirrelling stuff away since I started working. I own my flat outright, so I'm fine. Technically I could start drawing my pension now if worst comes to worst." Not his state pension, but the one he's set up for himself. At least he still has a while to go before that!

"I didn't know you could understand him these days. Just Jack, or all dogs? Or all animals?" He asks, curiously. Is that a general elf thing, or just Liam?

[arrowpoint]

"Pension? Ohhh that's right you're actually old."

Wait. That did not come out right. He stammers. "Uh, I mean, you know olderer than you are now so... not that old but..."

Okay quickly moving the topic along now, Liam looks back down at Jack.

"All animals, but it's not in words, and they don't understand me so much. It's like a feeling... I mean I always could tell by signs what he wanted, but now I don't even need those. It's like, yeah he's hungry. I don't have to guess."

[thebalrogslayer]

Wow, Liam, what a charmer. Gabriel shoots him his best displeased lecturer look, which never lasts for more than a moment anyway, and this time dissolves into a laugh. "Pretty old. When I was your age I thought 50 was ancient."

Still, that information about animals is interesting, and Gabriel mulls it over. "I've never been settled enough to have a pet of my own, but that sounds useful."

[arrowpoint]

He has the decency to look sheepish, at least. He tries to make up for it. "Well, if you think about it, fifty isn't so bad when you live forever."

A thoughtful pause. "Oh dude, I'll bet that's why you got all young again."