Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛ Mᴏɴᴛᴀɢᴜᴇ Rᴇɴғɪᴇʟᴅ (insects) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-08-09 21:24:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, hank mccoy (beast), jeremy gilbert |
Who: Hank McCoy & Jeremy Gilbert
What: Officially meeting Katherine's brother
When: A week or so ago
Where: Pizza place in the OC
Rating/Warnings: Nothing scandalous~
Status: Complete
The idea about pizza was that it had to be fresh from the oven - but in this day and age, delivery was vastly preferred because science, and all its wonders, had managed to concoct a formula for pizza crust that enabled it to taste decently after sliding around in the backseat of the delivery driver’s vehicle for thirty minutes. Even the United States military had come up with a brand of pizza that could last for three years (and Hank would know, he’d seen it in his very own laboratory). Regardless, pizza (born in Naples, Italy and best from a wood-fired oven) could be so much more. Being that he was from Illinois, and close to the Windy City, Hank had a preference for Chicago-style pizza. The stuffed variety at one particular spot in Orange County was almost identical to Giordano’s - he got his with sausage, jalapeños, and olives. And was reminded that he really needed to see about making a trip home soon - his mother and father were both very curious about Katherine; tales over the phone and on Skype didn’t compare to something in person. They were at a stage (the serious stage?) where it was important to meet families and get along. Which was why Hank had invited out Katherine’s brother, Jeremy - the few times they’d spoken it had been cordial, but it was nice to extend good will toward your significant other’s siblings and also nice to just make new friends in general. Hank would never turn down a friend. Besides, he genuinely loved Katherine - he didn’t want her brother to worry. “Have you ever been to Chicago?” he asked, and this was the part where cutting into the pizza with a knife and fork was necessary. “Times like these, I do miss the great state of Illinois. Cow pastures and soybean fields and everything.” Katherine having a boyfriend had been much more shocking than her becoming a vampire, but then again, Jeremy had known that was going to happen eventually. Katherine had been a vampire for decades when he had met her, in the dreams, so it was only a matter of time before she turned here. When she’d first told him about Hank, he didn’t sound at all like the sort of guy Katherine would have gone out with before, but honestly, he was just glad that it wasn’t Damon and for that fact, he was happy for his sister. Of course Jeremy had been a little worried about how her new relationship would work considering the whole vampire thing, but finding out that Hank was on Valarnet, put Jeremy’s mind at ease slightly, because at least she wouldn’t have to compel him to forget certain things or keep things from him. He was still worried about her losing control, but he didn’t want Katherine to think that he didn’t have faith in her, because he did. So really, all he could do was be there for her, if she ever did lose control and needed him. When Hank had invited him out, Jeremy had accepted the invitation and met him at the pizza place on the decided upon day. They had talked a few times on Valarnet, briefly, so this was their first face to face meeting and so far Jeremy thought that it was going pretty well. “No, I haven’t. I’d like to some day. Were you born there?” “Born and raised in Dundee, it’s a far-reaching suburb of Chicago,” Hank replied. So much cheese on this pizza, and who didn’t love that? Not to mention the chardogs and the chunks of actual chocolate cake in the milkshake found only at Portillo’s. Literally, they took a cake from the fridge and dumped it into the blender. It was a shame Katherine found human food to be unexciting and unappetizing, because even that shake would be worth the calories and worth the deviation from a model’s diet. He would plan a trip back though. Not like he’d ever taken much of a vacation before, so he had the time saved up at work. “I’m hoping to get back out there soon and see my mother and father. I’d like to bring Katherine too, and uh - “ Was this where he assured Jeremy he had only the best intentions for her? Love, honor, cherish - no, wait, that sounded like wedding vows. “About that. You should know that I plan to do right by her for as long as she’ll have me.” For that aspect, they both knew Katherine was frozen in time, and Hank wasn’t. Mortality - such a complicated issue. Jeremy had never actually had Chicago style pizza before, but who didn’t enjoy pizza with loads of cheese and the toppings on the inside? He had opted for pepperoni and sausage and had already decided that he needed to bring Myrcella to this restaurant sometime soon. “Does she know you want to introduce her to your parents?” When Hank mentioned bringing Katherine to meet his family, Jeremy couldn’t help it as his brows rose slightly. Katherine had never really been the serious relationship, meet the parents type, which meant that Hank must have really influenced her quite a bit and for that, Jeremy was glad, “And hey, just as long as you don’t start acting like a jerk and cheat on her, we’re cool.” Hank actually blushed a little - because, well, he hadn’t mentioned it yet but he was hoping that Katherine would agree. They’d just said the L word to each other (not Lagrangian, as in, Lagrangian points) so perhaps meeting the parents would not be too much of a stretch. “I plan to bring it up with her soon - we have some other travel plans in mind, I know she has a fashion event to attend in Prague, for which I will join her. And - “ He cut himself off, brow furrowing, because come again? It was as if the whole ‘act like a jerk and cheat on her’ thing just registered with him. Well. That was mighty specific. “I’m sorry, what?” Hank shook his head. “Is that...no, stars and garters, no. I would never cheat on her. Why would anyone cheat on someone else?” The thought honestly boggled him. If you didn’t want to be with someone, then don’t be with them. It didn’t seem difficult. Clearly Hank hadn’t met Damon. Or anyone else like him. “Not that I think you will. It’s just that I can’t help but be a little protective of my sisters after a bad experience our other sister had with a guy.” Not to mention the fact that there was a possibility that a jilted Katherine could hurt or kill Hank. While personalities from the dreams didn’t always bleed over, Jeremy knew that bits and pieces could slip out at the most inopportune times. “And did you just use the expression stars and garters? That’s...I’ve never heard anyone our age say anything like that.” “One of my favorite phrases,” he chuckled. “I am an old soul, perhaps.” If Hank ever cheated on Katherine (but why would he?? That was blatant stupidity, and he was far from stupid), then yes, he fully expected her to kill him. Or seriously ‘fuck his shit up,’ as the saying went. One of her most attractive qualities was the danger about her though - Hank certainly thought so. The predator side of him did, they had that part in common. “I completely understand being protective,” he nodded, after wrapping a particularly cheesy bit of pizza slice around his fork. “Especially after...that. What happened, if I may ask?” “Is that the only old expression you’ve got or are there others?” Now Jeremy was curious as to where someone around his age would have even heard that expression, but he supposed that it must have been someone that Hank had grown up around. Picking up his drink, he took a sip before responding to Hank’s question, “Our sister, Elena, was cheated on twice, by the same guy. The first time right after they’d gotten engaged.” Jeremy didn’t understand how Damon could think that he could just forget the things he’d done to Elena and expect him to just get over it. More old sayings and expressions? Hm, well, that was a good question! “Heavens to Betsy, the bee’s knees, golly gee - weak in the knees,” Hank tacked that last one on there, laughing a little. He’d just leave out how Jeremy’s sister made him weak in the knees, though that was probably implied. Hearing that Elena, Katherine’s twin, had been cheated on - twice, no less, by the same man - was disheartening. It made Hank frown in disappointment as he considered the type of person who would do such a thing. Clearly not one who deserved respect, that was for certain. “I hope she’s learned her lesson by now,” he said hastily. “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice - shame on me. That sort of thing.” Heavens to Betsy, he hoped Elena didn’t try for a third time with that bucket-o-scum! “Wow. Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone under like eighty say those things.” Jeremy couldn’t help but smirk a little as he thought about how different Hank and Katherine were. They were complete opposites, but as the saying went, opposites attract. “I think she has. At least, I hope so.” If Jeremy had any say in the matter, he wouldn’t let Elena get involved with Damon again, “It doesn’t make it any easier that he’s from our dreams too of course. So he constantly inserts himself into things.” Jeremy wasn’t going to go into all the details about everything Damon had done to Elena as well as himself, such as the mental torture he’d put him through. That wasn’t what Hank was there for. “Ah, yes, that is awkward,” Hank nodded. “Hopefully you can just continue to avoid him.” And if he kept being a nuisance, this dull and boring scientist would simply have to tear the dirty cheater’s head off. Look, Hank knew Katherine was beautiful and mesmerizing - and at first glance, it would seem she was all wrong for him. But maybe she simply wanted someone who genuinely loved her, and didn’t treat her like some prize or trophy, like she was only good for a lay and nothing else? It worked. What they had, it worked. He also wouldn’t press Jeremy about the details and intricate goings-on of the whole mess. It was in the past, so, it could stay there. “But Katherine tells me you have someone you’ve been with awhile?” he said, referring to Jeremy’s girlfriend. “Is it...serious?” Not like he was getting info to gossip about with Katherine lately, he was only curious! Jeremy nodded, “Avoiding Damon is one of the things I’ve gotten really good at over the last few years,” Unlike in the dreams, Jeremy wasn’t going to just let Damon off the hook like everyone seemed to do in Mystic Falls. Damon had done awful things to all of them, but somehow all was forgiven simply because Elena loved him. It didn’t make any sense to Jeremy. As Hank brought up Myrcella, Jeremy couldn’t help but smile a little, “Yeah. Myrcella. We’ve been together for almost four years now.” Jeremy couldn’t quite believe that that much time had passed since he and Myrcella finally started dating. Of course thinking about when they started dating also reminded Jeremy that it was almost four years since his parents had died as well. Four years! Stars and garters, that was a lengthier relationship than many Hollywood marriages - probably about ninety-one percent, if he was going to do the math. Jeremy ought to be pleased with that accomplishment. “That is quite a long time,” Hank was obviously impressed. “Have you thought about marriage, or would you want to wait longer for such an endeavor?” It was a big commitment, of course, and Jeremy was still in school. He wasn’t sure what Myrcella did, but they lived together so perhaps it wouldn’t be much of a stretch. Just making some things legal and putting them down on paper. “We haven’t really talked about it. It’s something I’d like one day, but right now, I’m still not really sure that her mother likes me all that much,” After all, it was partly because of Jeremy that Myrcella had stayed in Orange County when Cersei and Myrcella’s brothers had moved back to England. “Me and her uncle, but I think mostly me.” He was still thankful that Renly had agreed to let Myrcella live with him when she had decided to stay. “I see, yes. Having some animosity between you and the family can be difficult, I imagine,” Hank mused. He was glad that didn’t seem to be the case for he and Katherine - it was why he really wanted to get along with her family, her brother and her twin sister (if he ever got a chance to meet Elena). And his own parents would love her - they were warm, welcoming people. Just happy that their son had someone in his life that he cared about. “But it is not insurmountable.” After all, Jeremy had been with his lady for this long - it was nice to see that, sometimes, love really did seem to come out as the winner when all the chips were down. Gave him hope for the future, and that was not a bad thing at all. |