(no subject)

[deatheater-cook.livejournal.com]

Time: Late afternoon, 25 July 2000
Place: The Manor Grounds
Status: Public
Summary: The Barbecue

Severus had prepared for this extensively, had done research as soon as he was told that he needed to provide food for a ‘barbecue’. Well, that was American, wasn’t it? A newly-published book titled The Great American Barbecue and Grilling Manual was his starting point. (The words ‘great’ and ‘American’ did not belong in the same sentence, although perhaps he might be mistaken, never having been to America.) After learning that this was not merely an American cuisine but a regional (Southern) American cuisine, he began to specialise. Having found a butcher to bring a pig and something to cook it over (yes, the whole pig, you dolt) he learned that it could have been done with a goat as it had been in the Caribbean, and with less effort.

Having put forth effort already, he pushed ahead. The intensive labour required to prepare food by the slow ‘barbecue’ method had been provided by Remus Lupin, although he surely did not understand when he volunteered exactly what it was he’d be doing. The butcher himself was also interested and so Snape had ‘invited’ him to come and help. Work for the day, eat. Bring your family with you and they can help and eat also. Only if they help. Severus’ labour shortage crisis solved.

The whole concept of barbecue sauce was confusing, so he’d made three kinds. Two for public consumption—a South Carolina style with mustard, vinegar and black pepper that seemed reasonable enough. Kansas City style that was thick, red-brown, and gloppy, made with a tomato base and molasses. The third was for Crowley, a Texas-style sauce amusingly named ‘Devil’s Spit’ made from a tomato base with cumin and hot chiles. These American chiles being unavailable, he procured an Oriental variety that were infinitely hotter. Let him call that bland.

Chicken would go on, although not for as long as the blasted pig, and sausages for the unadventurous. The Brunswick Stew might end up in the restaurant under ‘American Cuisine’. It was simple enough, with a tomato base, lima beans (or any beans), corn, other vegetables, and meat. Traditionally rabbit or squirrel but he could use leftover pork, chicken, beef or even cut-up sausages. Basically, a fine way to rid himself of leftover almost anything and he revised his opinion of American ingenuity. The true test would be Crowley’s opinion. If he disapproved, it was definitely going on the menu.

Okra and sweet potatoes proved impossible to procure. Field greens—of the turnip variety—were simple enough to cook in some of the extra pig fat. Black-eyed peas, which looked an awful lot like beans, with bacon. He made carrots in sauce of butter and brown sugar that seemed terribly French, but he simply shrugged. There would be green peas—not mushy, unfortunately, which would have made Crowley complain and Snape smile, a dish of fried apples that was a side dish, apparently popular with pork, and potato salad. It was a source of annoyance that the recipe he found for this called for red potatoes that did not need to be peeled. How brilliant would it have been to set Lupin to peeling potatoes for his own requested potato salad?

Cornbread was simple enough to make, although all the different names and types confused him. The concept of beaten biscuits was repulsive so he settled on cheddar biscuits instead. American biscuits, he found, were a bread roll that seemed a bizarre combination of bap, scone, and crumpet. But they were a Southern staple and very simple to make. Devilled eggs—also simple, seemingly French—were another extra dish along with pickles of varied types. He refused to make grits—porridge was bad enough at breakfast and he would certainly not serve it in any other time.

Cold tea, sweet, with or without lemon was also a disgusting concept. Lemonade, if people wished to drink it. Lupin had to deal with squeezing the lemons, too. He had procured some Bourbon and Belial would, he imagined, not object if any leftover made its way to the bar. Mint juleps required it. Mint grew in the garden and sugar was a staple.

Having no sweet potatoes with which to make sweet potato pie, which seemed unpleasant anyway, he went with pecan pie. It was too sweet, but someone would eat it. Pound cake with whipped cream (another job for Lupin) and blackberry cobbler, which was enough like local fare for people to be willing to eat it. If he could have found watermelon, that would have been amusing. But messy, so just as well he hadn’t found it.

All in all, it was a great effort on his part, slave labour or no, and people had better appreciate it else he would be extremely put out.

"Let Wensleydale handle things in the kitchen, Lupin. The butcher will take care of serving the meat. You can clear plates and make sure the dishes are all filled." He had planned this. "The butcher's wife can help with drinks. The children have been disposed of."

Out of the way, nothing more sinister. Eating now, washing dishes later. Work for food, and a good trade on his part.

"Keep an eye on the biscuits, Wensleydale, and see that they don't burn. And make sure there is plenty of ice."

He turned.

"No, mint juleps are not sweets, get away from me, you silly child." Weren't they supposed to be on the far side of the lawn, eating their supper?

Attention Edit: As of this point the Devil's Spit sauce is no longer on the serving table but in Snape's hands, doled out by him. Please do not have your character get into it.

Comments

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

Mictain smirked. "Well enough not to want to kill each other," he said. "Which, from me, is quite an achievement.

He wasn't sure how to feel as he saw War picking up her knives. Her hair reminded him of Raphael, while her choice of weapons at the moment was a reminder of Uriel. He was pretty sure he knew how he felt about those two beings, but he didn't want any of those feelings mixed with War.

"Can't say I have," he said in response to War's question. "I've never had to. Nobody has ever questioned my position as the best -- well, nobody after Lucifer, at least. Why so? Would you care to give it a try?”

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

"Well," War said, "You can always learn how to use weapons that do require skill. You can also use potentially harmful weapons just to scare people. Think about when you met me - you knew it was a real weapon that could do harm, but did I use it to hurt you, or anyone? I'll admit that I was probably over zealous, but there are situations where just having a weapon and showing you have the skill to use it - and are prepared to - can make a lot of difference."

She had noticed, out of the corner of her eye, the look Mictain gave her as she picked up the knives, and suddenly realised. Who else do I know in the Manor who carries knives... I ought to mention it to him, maybe. But I'll keep that conversation just between the two of us.

She smirked at him instead. "No one may have questioned it, but you just said "Ruby here is probably even better." I think it might set both our minds at rest to find out - after all, we'd only spend time wondering about who'd come out top, otherwise!"

She grinned, then said soberly, "Probably best to use practice swords though. And get a referee in, if we're doing it properly?"

[tardis-lord.livejournal.com]

"Probably over zealous?" the Doctor squeaked. "Count yourself lucky the TARDIS doesn't have any bullet holes, or I would be really angry."

He grinned as he said that, though, to show he was joking. Besides, it was very difficult to do the TARDIS any lasting harm. During the time he had known her she had been shot at by worse things than bullets, attacked by creatures too strange and horrible to describe, thrown down cliffs and holes, and, on several occasions, blown up.

"I'll referee," the Doctor volunteered. "I know the rules." Not very well, admittedly, and he thought some of them were quite stupid. Take fencing. The stance made most participants look very 'happy'...

He glanced at War. "You can also use non-lethal weapons," he said casually. "Lasers and stun guns and things."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

"If you're sure you know the rules, then that seems fair enough," War said, glancing at Mictain. She couldn't think why he wouldn't agree, but it was probably best to check.

Her ears had pricked up at the Doctor's last words, though, and she turned her attnetion back to him. "I've never really had much experience with them - they haven't been developed particularly well or reliably yet, certainly not well enough for me to want to collect them. They could be used in the same way, to defuse a situation though..." she trailed off. She was an excellent fighter, but she was also the epitome of warfare, with all the tactics and strategy that entailed.

"Why do you mention it, though? Have you seen them used effectively when you've time travelled?" She couldn't keep the excited curiousity out of her voice.

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

“I said that you’re probably better because you’ve been able to use all your time on studying and practising warfare, not having to teach stupid baby angels who don’t know one end of their sword from the other,” Mictain said dryly. “However, I also think that whatever difference there is, it isn’t very big. And yes, I would very much like to know which one of us is better in the end,” he added with a smirk. “If not for any other reason, then just to be able to brag about it.”

At Doctor’s suggestion, he shrugged. “I see nothing wrong with you being a referee,” he said. “Out of all the other people in the Manor who actually know the rules you’re probably the only one who could be impartial. Most people here really don’t like me, you see.”

[tardis-lord.livejournal.com]

The Doctor waved a hand. "Oh, I've seen lots of things during my travels," he said. "The death of Earth. The fall of the Roman Empire. 1940s London. Even been to a Queen concert. Yes, I've seen laser weapons." He smiled at War. "I could lend you one, if you want. It isn't exactly Star Wars quality - a bit smaller - but it'll do."

He grinned widely. "Referee Doctor it is!" he said. "I'll need to find my little whistle, I think I left it in my other coat...

"Come off it, Mic!" he scoffed. "I like you, and I'm sure Ruby does too."

To prove his point, he hugged Mictain tightly. A part of him said hugging demons probably wasn't a good idea, but it was the part that said most things weren't good ideas, and so he ignored it, as per usual.

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War had an uncharacteristic urge to make it a group hug, but put it down to Duckie's contagious enthusiasm, and contented herself with clapping a hand on each man's - or demon's - back.

She turned orange eyes, glowing with excitement, onto the Doctor. "Would you really? When's it from? Can you show me how to use it? How does it...uhm, I mean, thank you!" she finished, with a slightly sheepish grin at her over-excited babbling.

Turning to Mictain, she said, "'Course I like you. Think I'd have let you stay in my room, or offered to train with you, if I didn't? And you're probably right - any difference in our fighting skill is almost certainly only minimal. Don't forget I've been working too - and it doesn't always involves me fighting personally. It'll be interesting to see on whose side the advantage falls though. But I'll tell you this much: if you beat me, you owe me a drink!"

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

Mictain wasn’t exactly prepared to be hugged, but he decided to let the Doctor get away with it. Once again, though, he was reminded of manic Uriel, something he really didn’t want to think about. Thus, he bravely endured it – and War’s hand on his back -- then carefully pushed the Doctor away.

“Look, next time give some warning, okay?” he said, trying not to show his fangs any more than necessary. “I tend to react rather violently when people touch me unexpectedly. Also, surprise hugs remind me of an ex-friend of mine I’d rather not be reminded of that way.”

He’d have to do something about this. At the very least he should find out what Uriel thought of him. It wouldn’t do for him to freeze every time somebody did something that reminded him of Uriel. It’d be easier if he knew what to expect from the angel should he run into him.

“And Ruby,” he then said, “I promise you, if I do win, I’ll buy you any drink you’d ever want.” He smirked, fangs flashing. “Provided you’ll trust a demon to keep his word, of course.” He had no intention to betray his word, of course. Not only did he want to keep what few allies he had, but also it wouldn’t do to try to cheat a woman who could use about any weapon ever invented and enjoy it.

[tardis-lord.livejournal.com]

"You're welcome," the Doctor said to War. He actually had an ulterior motive for this: being, if she had a non-lethal laser weapon, the next time she shot at him he wouldn't have to fear being hurt. He might be knocked unconscious, but worst things had happened to him.

He held his hands up to Mictain, mostly a gesture of surrender. "Okay," the Doctor said, "no more hugging without warning." Unless he forgot himself. He had a tendency to hug people unexpectedly when excited and/or hyper-actively happy. He'd just have to try and remember not to include Mictain in those unplanned ecstatic embraces. (He commended himself for the alliteration there.)

He turned to War. "Do you want me to go and get the laser gun now?" he asked. "It's in the TARDIS. Won't be long..."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

"If you could... please?" If she was going to be well-behaved, War thought, she might as well start now. "I'd love to have a look at it, even if we save a try-out for later."

"And I probably wouldn't trust just any demon, no. But I seem to remember we had a conversation about this once before, so I'll trust you to keep your word." War's tone was light-hearted, but the look in her eyes was level and serious.

[tardis-lord.livejournal.com]

The Doctor put his hands in his pockets. Good, the key was still there. "I'll just go and get it," he said.

He waved a hand at Mictain and War, and turned from the gathering to head back into the lobby. It was silent now, without Uriel at the desk. He crossed over to the TARDIS, opened the door, and stepped inside.

Now, where was it...?

The TARDIS asked him if he thought it was a good idea, giving her a more advanced weapon.

He replied of course it was, as he pushed some old switchboards out of the way. It was a more advanced weapon, therefore it wasn't as primitive or harmful as bullets. Anyway, it wasn't as if he was giving her a sonic blaster.

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War grinned at the figure as he headed towards the Manor, then turned back to Mictain.

"I'm sorry if the daggers brought up bad memories," she said, briskly, but not unkindly. "But I've always used them, even when I've not been carrying other weapons."

She looked at him searchingly. "How are you?" she asked seriously.

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

“The memories are not bad, necessarily,” Mictain said, sighing a bit and running a clawed hand through his blond mane. “It’s just… I don’t know what to think. I’ve come to the conclusion that I can’t hate Uriel for what he did, but I can’t just think of him as the friend he once was. I’d have to know how he reacts to my presence to decide how I should behave around him.”

He looked at Doctor’s departing back for a moment, then again looked at War. “I’m as well as I can be expected to be, given that in the last half a year I’ve Fallen, got kicked out of the Manor, faced Lucifer, established some kind of a position in Hell, reunited with Raphael twice, been left by Raphael twice, got very close to death and been forced to reconsider my moralities. Probably even better. I feel betrayed, angry, lonely, vengeful, and confused, and I’m trying my best to behave nicely no matter what. The next time Lucifer gets me into his hands he might not let me go.”

His red eyes flashed. “How did you expected me to be, then?”

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War looked him straight in the face. "No better, and possibly worse. Honest with me, which you have been."

She sighed. "I haven't been through anything like all of that, so I'm not going to say to you I understand - it wouldn't mean anything, and you wouldn't believe me. I respect you too much for that. I do, however, hope that I can help, or at least not hinder. I may be War, and able to start conflicts just by blinking, but it doesn't mean I'm out to kill everyone I meet." Her mouth twisted wryly. "Especially not after this afternoon."

Her mind suddenly made a connection. "Oh - Mictain - you might want to be prepared for Uriel to be... not quite as you remember. Just a heads-up."

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

“Well, I’m certainly glad to know not everybody is against me,” Mictain said dryly. Then, he sighed again. “No, you can’t understand. I doubt anybody can. Raphael… I loved him for two millennia, and he treated me like a toy. If even that.” At her mention of not wanting to cause any more conflicts, however, he managed a small chuckle. “Same for me. Adam has apparently decided that I’m worth a third chance. I’m determined to prove him right – not that most people would believe that.”

Then, he frowned. “Not as I remember? What do you mean? Is he no more a stuck-up bastard with serious mental issues who claims to be genderless yet keeps snogging with Pestilence in shadowy corners when he thinks nobody else is around?”

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

Then we'll try to keep Adam's faith in us together, War thought to herself.

She looked at him again. "I don't think I could ever understand, no. But I do believe that you didn't deserve to be treated like that."

She chuckled at his frown. "Oh, no, I think you'll find Uriel rather different. I can't comment on the mental issues, but as for gend - snogging with Pestilence? What?" she half shrieked, in shock and surprise, as the latter part of what the demon had said sunk in.

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

Mictain realized too late just what he had just revealed. Well, of course he had never promised not to tell anyone, but he had no idea whether it was really a good thing that War found out.

"I was walking along a corridor one night, before I got kicked out," he said, deciding a simple explanation might be the best way to deal with the situation. "I almost stumbled over them. They were standing in the shadows, making out like there was no tomorrow, and I really don't think Uriel wasn't making an effort. They both seemed to quite enjoy it, too."

He shrugged. "From their behaviour when I startled them I figured they were quite serious about it, too. Pestilence was ready to let me bash his face in just to protect Uriel's honour. Note this, I wasn't even threatening to hurt Uriel, I just called him with some not-so-endearing names, and he was about to start a fight. Pestilence. Start a fight. With me. Either he really was serious about his love, or he was in desperate need of a new corporation."

He shrugged, a bit uneasy as he recalled the events so long ago. "Your dear colleague even claimed to be willing to die for his angel, go figure. I imagined they'd have come out by now."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

"I - haven't seen Pestilence for months. I haven't seen any one really - like I said, I was busy, I was working, I wasn't here much. But.. with Uriel?"

She blinked in confusion. "Pestilence doesn't jsut go round picking fights - I should know - but he was ready to... where is he? What did Uriel do to him??" War couldn't get her mind round all of this. But she'd known Pestilence for millennia, and she was inclined to be on his side in this one.

She shook her head. "They haven't come out - like I say, Pestilence seems to have left. But one thing has certainly come out of it... the cunning bitch!"

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

"Well, he certainly seemed ready to fight because I called Uriel a whore. And he must have known he wouldn't stand a chance against me if it came down to that." He shrugged. "I've no idea what Uriel has done. At the time I was more convinced Pestilence had used Uriel's vulnerable mental condition on his advantage. I can only imagine how good it must feel to him to be around somebody so obviously ill."

He frowned, then. "Who's a bitch?" he asked, not making the connection between the term typically used to refer to female beings and the -- as far as he knew -- male Uriel. "And what does that have to do with this, anyway?"

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War sighed. "She is. Uriel. Oh, that's backwards. Uriel is now female. And it's her who's the cunning bitch. I can't believe Pestilence was just using her... yes, he likes illness, of course he does, but not enough to be willing to fight you for it! Somehow, he - she - Uriel tricked him, and hurt him - presumably why he left."

She flexed her fingers anxiously. "You might as well know. Uriel's pregnant. So...either it's his, and she cast him off, once she'd used him to get a child... or she cheated on him."

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

"Uriel's pregnant?" Mictain's eyes flew wide. "Bloody Heaven. I wasn't sure they'd even got past kissing, given Uriel's usual behaviour... Are you sure?" He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "No, of course you're sure. You wouldn't say so otherwise. But still..."

He took a moment to try to sort out his thoughts. In the six millennia he'd known Uriel the archangel had never, to his knowledge, made an effort. He'd been shocked enough to learn that he would know as far as kissing and presumably making an effort. But this? Being actually pregnant? This was... un-Urielish.

"Somehow, I can't believe either of her," he still said, "and I do think I knew her better than anybody else. But yet... it must be one or the other, mustn't it? With the way Pestilence reacted, I don't think he would have left her voluntarily. And if he was still with her and had got her pregnant, he would visibly support her -- if she let her. He hardly would just abandon her after threatening to attack me just because I called the angel names."

He sighed, again running a hand through his hair. "So, either Uriel's quite a bit different from what I figured... or Pestilence is just about suicidal. Somehow, I think the former is the more probable option." He narrowed his eyes. "I'll find out the truth yet. I can't imagine why she would want a child, though... So she must have cheated on him, then. Or maybe she got pregnant by accident and deserted him because of it. But it doesn't make any sense, either..."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War clicked her fingernails. "None of it makes sense," she said, "and yet I just can't believe that Pestilence would have got her pregnant and abandoned her, not from what I know of him and from what you've told me of his behaviour."

"I'm not sure what my opinion of Uriel is, but from what I'm seen and heard, I'm not overly inclined to make it a positive one. If she is so mentally ill, could wanting a child be linked to that, somehow? I could understand her leaving him if she got pregnant and he rejected her but then regretted it... but I can't see that, quite, either."

Twisting her hair round her fingers, she continued, "I don't understand what could have happened. The bare facts, though, are that Uriel and Pestilence were clearly together, and PEstilence cared about Uriel deeply. Now, Uriel is female and noticeably pregnant, and Pestilence has disappeared. Clearly, something odd has happened - and neither of us really know what."

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

Mictain nodded thoughtfully. "It doesn't make sense, no," he said. "I'd really like to figure it out, though. This is rather disturbing -- it just goes plain against my usual view of the world." He sighed once again. "Ah, well. Most probably Uriel has just got even crazier than she used to be."

He grumbled, "I am going to make sense of this -- if not otherwise then to prove that Uriel is completely crazy. And besides, if the kid indeed is Pestilence's..." A sudden thought crossed his mind, and he smirked. "Can you imagine what a fuss it'd cause Upstairs? It'd be pure chaos. The pure and untouched perfect archangel is pregnant, unmarried, and the father's a horseman. I can just imagine the look on Metatron's face when he finds out..."

[swords-love-me.livejournal.com]

War burst out laughing in spite of herself. "Oh, but that would be a picture...!"

Her amusement subsided, though, as she said, "I'd like to know too. Pestilence has been around as long as I have, more or less, and he's a Horseperson, like me. And whether he is the one at fault - which I doubt - or whether Uriel has completely lost it - which I consider more than likely - then I'd like to know. Besides, if the child is his, then it's practically family! I've got a vested interest... even if it has got a rather interesting family tree."

She clicked her nails again. "Seems it would make sense for us to work together on this one - after all, we both want to find out... What do you think?"

[demon-mictain.livejournal.com]

"Well, Uriel has never been too far from losing it completely," Mictain said with a small smirk, "especially after coming to the Manor. So, yes, I do consider that more likely, too."

His smirk got even broader at War's mention of a family tree. "Just think of the things the poor kid would learn!" he laughed. "I could always claim to be its uncle. Even if it's only to see the look on the angels' face. They need to be reminded of me before they succeed in their goal of forgetting about me entirely, and what would be better for that than such a shock?"

He didn't have to consider her suggestion for long. "Sure. Between the two of us, we should actually find out something."