I'd marry her at the drop of a hat, if it meant I could go back to those times. Merlin, pour that wine before someone appears with a violin to play my lament."

Gale reached out his hand, brushed his fingers over the back of Ignan's before squeezing it gently, "If someone breaks out a violin, I'll have them eating it for breakfast for the next three weeks." He smiled at the man, before the staff came to deliver their new drink and plates.

"Will she be there forever? Perhaps if she is to get out, you can go on a little escapade into the past with her no?" He started right in on the cheese and bread, knowing full well that he would be under the table passed out, "I will cover your classes."

When asked about Chaz, Gale's whole body felt warm, and his entire being lit up. Though, they were having a little rocky patch, he was very much devoted, and still so very in love. He wasn't ashamed to admit it at all, but for so long Chaz had been his little secret. He was his and Gale kept him close to his heart, and though they were out--it was still hard to admit sometimes because he wanted to keep his lover to himself.

"A beautiful young man," He corrected with a smile, already feeling his eyes water as they always did when he spoke of Chester to anyone else, "He's amazing. So sweet. An architect. He loves me, for all of my flaws, and I am so in love with him too." When asked of whether he would move out, Gale gave a small little shrug,

"It's something I think about, but I'm not sure we are there yet. Chaz has been working on a design for me, but...well..." Gale bit his lip before admitting, "I'm kind of wondering if our plans won't change before the Spring comes again. I've...grown rather attached to a few of the students, who lost their loved ones over Christmas break, and having been an orphan myself during some of my schooling I remember how badly it affected me. I'm thinking about taking them in if they need, and Chester...I'm not sure Chester is ready for that." Maker, it felt good to be talking to Ignan about this, and Gale blushed at the realization.

"I have a really good sum of money saved, and I'm thinking about buying a house in the city, until their schooling is finished. But...that's where we are, and it's not anything we have had a huge talk about. I figure I'll think about it until Spring, but as much as I am in love. Children come first, and I do love them so."

With his wine glass full again, Gale sipped a bit slower, and cocked his head to ask, "Do you have children? I feel like I have asked this, but forgive me...I can't remember the answer."

Gale squeezed his hand - Ignan froze a moment and then retracted it on release, uncomfortable at that gesture, especially given what had been implied by the Durmstrang ship residents.

"I will cover your classes."

"They'd replace me." Ignan replied without hesitation. He knew that he'd only managed to pass up his attendance at the trial because he was Tapendra's friend, that perhaps his gesture with Azorma while she was in custody had only been kept a little quiet because Magical Law Enforcement were ashamed to admit they let it happen.

With relief, Nightingale was easily distracted with queries of his own romantic thoughts. They were such opposites it was laughable. No wonder Gale and Tappy could get at each other's throats - they appeared to be in a competition to mother the lost children of Hogwarts - a game Ignan wasn't ever partaking in. The nearest he got was offering Almasy a cup of tea, and entertaining a wild thought of hunting vampires for a summer with Georgiana so she could use her potential to its full extent.

"I have a really good sum of money saved, and I'm thinking about buying a house in the city, until their schooling is finished. But...that's where we are, and it's not anything we have had a huge talk about. I figure I'll think about it until Spring, but as much as I am in love. Children come first, and I do love them so. Do you have children? I feel like I have asked this, but forgive me...I can't remember the answer."

"A whole school full." Ignan replied, avoiding the truth. "I don't love them though, I'm not there to." He drew himself straight again and shook his head. "Enough of you and Tapendra, and everyone else there to play that role. Don't overstretch yourself in taking your lost souls in, Hogwarts is enough of an orphanage as it is." The older wizard shrugged.

"But I am glad you're in 'love'," he punctuated the word with his fingers a moment, though his features were not stern, "to some you look like you need some sort of grounding or reason to centre your wilder, freer tendencies. I'm not referring to our foreign guests there either. Enjoy it."

"They wouldn't replace you, Storm. You are much of a staple there now as Minerva," Gale said without any pity or restrain, he wanted nothing more than to shake that from Ignan, especially when the talk turned to not loving children. He knew better.

"Enough of you and Tapendra, and everyone else there to play that role. Don't overstretch yourself in taking your lost souls in, Hogwarts is enough of an orphanage as it is."

At the mention of Tapendra, Gale sat back in his seat, holding his wine glass as he studied the rim of it with his thoughts traveling to the dark skinned man. He was a strange sort of fellow, though one that Gale could respect now, and realized his distaste for the man came from a deep seeded jealousy. He didn't like thinking back of that October when he first started, but couldn't help it. And quickly moved his eyes to another topic trying to search for a distraction.

"But I am glad you're in 'love'," he punctuated the word with his fingers a moment, though his features were not stern, "to some you look like you need some sort of grounding or reason to centre your wilder, freer tendencies. I'm not referring to our foreign guests there either. Enjoy it."

That was easy enough to pull from any thoughts of Tapendra, and he sat his glass down to look at Ignan with a rather stern gaze, "Why would you say something like that? I'm very well aware of what people think of me, and struggle with it very deeply. I know I'm the only one to blame in this, though for every Aileen Reid, Torolf Gunderson, and Ignan Storm there are those 'less fortunate' in our ability to give a damn. I just wanted her to smile a little bit, that's all. She looks so damn miserable all the time. And Gunderson...he can kiss my behind. I'm not going to enjoy my boyfriend because some stuck up lonely fools think it's going to help me be a better person."

Gale took a deep calming breath, "There is nothing wrong with me. Not my birth, or my childhood, or who I am now. Yeah I'm a little broken, but it's nothing that I'm not trying to fix." With that Gale put a bit of money on the table after he stood,

"Now if you will excuse me, Professor. I would like to get home and see my love before he falls asleep."

Ah, Gale. Always coming and going, like sunshine and showers in Spring. At least he no longer fired a string of questions as Ignan like he had when he was a boy before Hogwarts when they'd first met. Now he just talked at him in circles and worries.

"No, I invited you." Ignan slid Gale's money away back towards the younger man on the table.
"Interrupted your evening. You can pay another time, if you insist." He reasoned with a nod and a look that asked Gale to co-operate for ease there.

"Thank you for meeting me, and give my regards to your young man." Ignan raised what was left in his glass and toasted Gale.

For their unusual relationship, in that short conversation it felt as if they had managed to settle a tiff, and for the first time in some months he felt a little more sure of his colleague. There would be more talk at some point, but at least the air was cleared for now, and Gale realised that the other was no threat.

For now.

End Thread