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[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

Date: October 22, 2000
Status: Private (War, Loki, (Anathema?)) - Complete
Setting: Hospital wing
Summary: War visits Loki



War stood in the Lobby with her hands on her hips. She'd managed to walk around the Manor without seeing anybody at all, and apart from her chat with Pollution the day before, it seemed like an age since she had seen any of her friends. Trying to think back to when it had been, she suddenly remembered fragments of a conversation she'd overheard the day before when she'd been out practising in the grounds. Something about someone being in the hospital - someone who'd collapsed. She frowned, trying to remember what had been said, then remembered that they had said something about medication, and hair growing back. Surely not - Loki? She remembered that he had been looking ill, and his hair did seem to have grown back when she'd seen him at that lunch - and it would explain whyh she hadn't seen him around...

Whilst she had been thinking, her strides had carried her to the door of the hospital wing. Seeing it was shut, she knocked sharply.

Comments

[anathema-witch.livejournal.com]

Getting up, she went to the door and peeked outside, wondering why they hadn't just come in. The hospital wing was open to all after all. The woman she had met at the lunch not too long ago was standing their lookign rather severe.

"Er hello? Can I help you?" she asked, curiously. It didn't look like this person was hurt.

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War recognised her but couldn't place her for a moment, then remembered that she had met her at that lunch a while back. She couldn't remember her name though, so she skipped the chat and cut to the chase.

"Is Loki in here?"

She wasn't about to waste time telling the woman - nurse, she supposed - she'd wanted to see how her friend was before she knew if that was relevant or not.

[anathema-witch.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yes, yes he is. Follow me."

It was good that Loki was getting visitors. It seemed only she, John and Gabriel even knew what happened. oh and Uriel.

She led the woman to the room Loki was holed up in and opened the door. "He's in here. He, umm, might not be up to much but he's all yours for the time being."

She left the two alone, seeing as how it is good for Loki to see people who cared about him.

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War nodded her thanks, and stepped into the room.

"I thought you might feel like some company?"

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

Loki looked up in surprise. "War?" He smiled at her weakly. She wasn't Odin, or even an Asgardian, but still close enough that he felt embarrassed by his weakness. "They're talking, huh?"

It wasn't really a surprise. John carrying him through the corridors must have been quite a show and for a hotel Tadfield Manor was a surprisingly tight-knit community.

He sat up and put the book he'd been reading to pass the time aside hoping that War wouldn't pay any attention to just what he was reading. "So how's it going? I haven't seen you in a while."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War was shocked by how weak he seemed. She'd thought he looked a little better when they had lunch, but maybe that had just been a brief period of respite. She wasn't going to show it, though. Knowing gods as she did, and him especially, she knew they wouldn't want to be reminded of vulnerability.

"Well, someone's talking. I was out in the grounds exercising when I overheard a discussion about someone with hair grown back being brought in here, and figured it was probably you."

She grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to him. "I'm not so bad, myself - not up to much, just getting on. Had a drink with Poll, yesterday, though. Good to catch up."

There was more to it that that, but she didn't really feel like going into the links between the Horsepeople as she saw them right now, and he probably wouldn't be interested.

"How are you getting on, though? Not meaning to pry, but it looks like they've got you settled in here for a while. Still, at least they're bringing you books. Anything good?" she asked, trying to peer at the cover of the book he'd put to one side.

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"Just great." He'd prefer it, if nobody knew or saw him like this, but then that'd also be hopelessly boring. Loki couldn't take monotony for very long. "Dear Polly, haven't seen much of him, but we had great fun together once. Heard anything of the others?" He still wanted to find out more about Pestilence.

He wasn't sure what to tell her about his condition. He'd have liked to just brush it off, but she was friends with Death after all, so she probably already knew better, or would the moment she mentioned him to her friend anyway.

"Missing Odin mostly. You haven't heard from him by any chance? I'd really like if he ... you know."

"I take what I can get. Doesn't seem like they have anything good in this place. It's all Judeo-Christian in any case, but I was bored of staring at the wall."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War shook her head. "No, not heard from any of them in ages. It's odd, doesn't seem that long till I try to work the dates out. Famine and Pestilence both seem to be off somewhere - took off while I was away. Shame, really, it's be good to catch up." And ask Pestilence afew questions, she added silently. She still didn't really know what had gone on there.

"As for Odin, I'm afraid I've not heard from him, either. I only got to speak to him once or twice since I got back here in the summer, too." She paused, and looked at Loki for a minute. "If I hear anything, though - even indirectly - I'll let you know, you. I know you must be missing having him around." In some ways, maybe Loki would understand the way she felt about the Horsepeople. The bonds weren't the same, but still...

"I never read much myself," she added. "Can do, of course, just never felt the need. Besides - they'd get all mucky, if I started carting round books." War rubbed her nose, then said, "I suppose you never carried them round much either, though. I'd offer to provide some entertainment, but I'm not sure stand up comedy's really my line of work."

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, they always do that to one, don't they. You let them out of your sight for one moments and poof, they're gone." He sighed. "It's just ... It'd be nice to see him again, talk a bit. You know, while I'm here and all stuck and bored."

"I never learned to read runes, you know. The alphabet of my own people and I can't even read it. Thought about learning it from time to time, but then I always used to tease Odin about his rune magic. I can almost hear him laughing watching me struggle to read. And the humans don't really understand runes the way they used to anymore, so I'd probably be forced to ask him for help in the end."

"Nah, comedy's not you, but you could tell me of your latest exploits. How's the Middle East these days?"

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War nodded. "I know how you feel. Sitting stuck on your own isn't always fun - especially if it's because someone's dragging their heels over opening fire."

"I never read runes either. To be honest, I only ever learnt what I needed to to "edit" documents to provoke conflicts and things. I remember him with his rune magic, though. Never understood it myself - battle cries always seemed to work well enough to me. So, y'know, I'd offer, but.." she shrugged.

"The Middle East? Same old, really. They hardly need me there any more, really, I just keep an eye on things every now and then. I got a bit worried towards the start of the year, though - they were banying around all sorts of peace talks and handing territory back and forth - like that would sort anything." She grinned. "That all changed back in May, though - on the 52nd anniversary of the nakba, "day of the catastrophe" in Arabic, when they founded Isreal, the West Bank absolutely exploded. The security forces were shooting each other, and they killed some, and wounded more." Her eyes lit up as she continued, "They tried sorting it all out, the Americans interfering again, but those Camp David talks broke down. Nothing to do with the red headed waitress, of course..."

She trailed off, lsot in the memories. "Ever since, there's been fighting all over the West Bank. Bombs, and helicopters - they killed ten, just two days ago. And a few days before that, they showed men with their bloodstained hands on pictures all over the world. Reminded me of the old days..."

Her voice had grown harsh, and her eyes were redder and dancing wildly as she told the god of the things she could sense without even having to look.

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"It's okay, never expected you to know. It was a rare art." Loki smiled at her his eyes becoming just a little more lively. "Oh, I can just imagine the chaos! People no longer sure who their homeland belongs to, weapons fire left and right, people fleeing in every direction!" So what if his mental pictures contained a few more ships, swords and spears than were likely to actually have been involved. "Ah, I wish things were a little more chaotic around here."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

"They really haven't got a clue. It's the old chiche of brother fighting brother, and loyalties are half an accident of where you happen to be born. It's just beautiful," she sighed happily.

"Things could certainly stand to be a little livelier sometimes," she agreed. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so! On the other hand, I'm not sure everyone else would appreciate it quite as much." She was fairly sure Adam, for one, certainly wouldn't.

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"Oh yes, just like home," Loki said smiling at the not so sweet memories of some wars between Asgardians and giants. "And it creates the best sort of chaos when some of the players aren't even sure what side they're on."

"I'd feel better with a little more chaos around. My last attempt at starting some didn't go too well, though." He'd expected the Crowley-Ezra thing to go differently anyway, though it was probably good for Ezra to be away from Crowley. No telling what he'd have done to the poor bookish not-god.

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

""Not sure what side they're on" certainly describes some of the people around here," she said, smiling. She didn't know how much he knew of the Not-Apocolypse, but things had certainly changed around here since then.

"Pure chaos doesn't worry me so much, but certainly a little conflict keeps things fun." She sighed. "Maybe a little less fun when it's people I've got to know well, though."

She paused, staring off into middle distance briefly, then said, "What were you trying to stir up, then?"

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"It's a way of life, War," Loki grinned at her. He'd always been stuck between sides in the old days it seemed. "It'd probably help me get better. You're right about the people you know, though. Too right."

"Well, I was just hoping for a little mistrust between Ezra and Crowley. Some yelling maybe, people getting drawn ito the fight. I didn't think they'd just quietly split up. Quite a letdown that."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

Crowley and Ezra? Presumably he must mean the angel, Aziraphale, but somehow War had missed the news that they'd split up. "Very quietly, given I seemed to have missed the news," she commented, wryly. "I can't imagine they were too happy, though."

"I don't suppose there's any stirring you can think of that I could do to keep you entertained - but that wouldn't get either of us into trouble?" she asked, slyly.

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, instead of having a big manor wide row, Crowley seems to just have walked quietly back to his room and told Ezra it's over and then he went complaining to John and now John's mad at me for breaking them up. As if that ever was the plan!"

Loki smirked. Oh, the things he could think of ... He should stay realistic, though. He didn't want War to get kicked out of the manor.

"Mmmm, messing with Crowley's my favourite, but Mictain works, too. And the box-thief and Ligur. Think you could get them tangled up in a fight without getting suspected?"

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War shrugged. "I'd put it down to collateral damage, if I were you, and think no more of it. Not worth you worrying over." Especially not when you need your strength for other things, like getting better, she added silently in her head.

"Mictain, I'm planning to beat in a fight sometime. Not exasctly chaotic, but it might settle the argument of who's the best," she smirked. "It's not exactly chaotic though - I suspect certain people wouldn't let it happen if it were. I might be able to do something, though... who's this "box-thief" you mentioned?"

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"Bite him," Loki recommended. "It confuses him and tastes good. THe guy with the stolen police box. You know, Ducky. Probably not quite up to Crowley's level, but I suspect anyone could handle Ligur." He smirked evilly. "If they could stomach touching him."

Yes, War really was a good friend. He should try and see her more often while he still could.

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

"Bite him? Don't you think he might get the wrong idea?" War smirked. "Espeically if I told him he tasted good..."

"As for Ducky... I've nothing against him, especially since he gave me my new pretty -" here she patted the sonic gun that hung at her hip "- but I'm sure it wouldn't take much to get him and Ligur fair annoyed with each other. You might just be onto something there... And if I was just letting them know things, all concerned like, no one would ever guess."

She grinned. No one would ever know how many wars had been started as a result of her misdirection.

"As for touching Ligur - Ducky wouldn't need to. He's got that stick thing, remember? And there wouldn't be any trouble, he doesn't like killing or anything." She thought for a moment, then added, "Does depend on them both actually being around, of course."

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

Loki laughed. "Oh my, that'd be hillarious! Didn't even think of that. I suppose Mictain'd be alright, if he weren't a threat to the family."

"I don't like people who run around with police boxes. Don't trust them. Of course you're probably several sizes too big for him, so no worries there. He'd be a fool to challenge you. Yeah, Ligur seems to be pretty hard to catch. Pitting the Box-Thief against Crowley wouldn't be fair, though, especially, if he really won't kill. Crowley can kill with a single thought. Sure, killing the Box-Thief would be certain to stir up some chaos, but it'd upset Uriel and that'd be bad for Bran. Can't do that. They're family."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War smirked. "Well, at least I know he'd put up with my work," she pointed out. "Maybe I should try it just to see what his reaction would be!"

"Ducky, on the other hand, I don't think would dare challenge me - not after the greeting we gave him when he arrived," she said, with a wry smile. "He seems nice enough, and I'd really rather he didn't get toasted by Crowley - who knows, he might be able to find me more pretties from whereever he got this one." She stroked it meditatively, then added, "And it'd mess up family. If Uriel's happy and stable, then I'd rather for all our sakes she stayed that way." She shook her head. "Not to mention the havoc a traumatised angelic newborn could wreak round here. I know we said chaos would be fun, but uncontrolled angelic powers... maybe less so."

Half under her breath, she said to herself, "And I know how much family - or the nearest thing - matters," not realising she was speaking aloud.

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"Mmmmm ... It might distract him from whatever he's planning to do with Bran. Besides watching his reaction ought to be fun."

"I'm not saying you should let any harm come to the Box-Thief," Loki assured her. "Ligur's a harmless idiot, I suspect. If it really turns out that he could hurt the Box-Thief, you'll be able to handle him easily enough. Or you could send in re-enforcements."

Out of control baby angel powers? "Oh Bran, you have no idea how much I love you already!"

"Yes," he agreed. "Family is the most important thing of all, even if you're not actually related to them at all."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War thought quickly back to her conversation with Mictain after the barbecue, and remembered his plans. Nodding, she said, "Alright, you're on. When I get round to setting up our match, I'll see if I can't...distract... him a little."

At his mention of Bran, she grinned. "It'll be fun to have a little one around to train up... I'm sure Uriel wouldn't want him to be defenceless, after all."

"As for Ducky... as long as I can find them both, I think I've got an idea on how I could set things up with that one..." she mused.

"Oh - and I'd count it family and friends," she amended. "I don't tend to have so many friends - more brief acquaintances - so when they turn up it's nice to hang on to them."

[leucemic-god.livejournal.com]

"Oh yes, it definitely will be," Loki agreed with a dreamy smile. "I reserve the right to gift him with his first spear, though. He is my nephew after all."

It was an empty claim and she probably knew it. He wouldn't be around by the time Bran was old enough to learn the use of weapons. Still he liked to pretend. He'd enjoyed teaching his own children to fight. Would Bran have any shape-changing abilities to use in battle?

"Family," he insisted. "Friends are unreliable. Sooner or later they desert you." The thought of John still hurt. "Family desert you, too, of course, but not as easily." And the memory of Odin was even worse.