IC CONTACT POST

[uberboned]

[A woman's voice comes over the line.]

You've reached the Trickster's voicemail. Unfortunately, Mr. Trickster isn't available to take your call, nor will he likely ever be. Should you still wish to leave a message, please respond after the tone, and maybe we'll remember to get it to him, mmkay?

[Beep]

[[OOC: This is an IC voicemail post for all verses games. Please put the name of the verse/game you want in the subject heading.]]

Comments

[thelightbringer]

[Of course it's no reassurance to Lucifer, who would dance a jig on her still-warm corpse if she died. But he doesn't say what they both know (that no, she hasn't survived worse, not by a long shot).]

What are you going to do after this?

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

If she dies? I wait. She'll come back- always does. She doesn't have anything where she came from, not like what she has here. If she lives... [He shrugs] We'll keep going.

[He glances up at his brother.] Not that any of that helps you, any. She's not so bad when she's not pregnant with something that offends your sensibilities. She's got chutzpah.

[thelightbringer]

I knew her before she was pregnant. [And if you couldn't tell from his tone, he loathed her then, too.] if you're hoping to invite me over to meet her, don't. I'm not interested, and don't delude yourself into thinking I want anything to do with your new family.

I meant long-term. When she's healed.

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[Well, there went that smidgen of hope. He sighs, exasperated.] I still love you. Stop acting like a kid in the middle of a messy divorce.

[He rolls his eyes.] You think I'm gonna leave her? Now? After all that?

Fuck no.

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer all but rolls his eyes at the idea Gabriel 'loves' him. He doesn't even dignify it with a response.]

You plan to stay here with her forever. Well, things are going to get messy here, Gabriel. [He turns to face him. It's hard to tell now, but he hadn't had anything in mind but making sure Gabriel wasn't falling apart.] I know that's not going to send you running for cover this time, but you deserved a warning. If you really want to live out a white-picket life with her, you'll keep her out of the way.

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[He swallows and even though his voice is calm, the evenness is forced.] I'm gonna hate myself for asking this, but... Why are things gonna fall apart? Because of Michael? Because you're gonna blow the Core up to get back home? [His voice rises a little] And why don't I deserve this much without having to worry about the rest of the family's baggage fucking it up? Does anyone actually ever think of me? Because I think of you idiots all the damn time. And no one else seems to get that.

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer was here, out of concern for Gabriel. But he won't admit that even to himself, and his response is mocking and cold.]

Gabriel, why would I think of you? Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when Michael brainwashed our brothers and sisters? The first chance you got, you abandoned them. And now that you are willing to fight for something, you expect me to roll over or applaud you.

You don't deserve this, because you never earned it.

[He falls very quiet then, because too much has been laid on the table and Lucifer didn't mean for any of this to come up here. He came, truly, to be there for Gabriel, not to make it worse. But this is Lucifer; he's no longer capable of comforting another creature. He's only now starting to realize the truth of that.]

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[It's true, in a lot of ways. Gabriel falls eerily silent for a moment, looking as stunned as if Lucifer had slapped him. He hadn't meant to start screaming about all this, but he was getting tired of it- tired of Lucifer's pride, tired of Michael's sense of duty, Castiel's naivete... All of it. Like always, he just wanted it to be over. He didn't want to have to fight or run or hide. He just wanted to live.]

I'm sorry. [He doesn't even know what he's sorry about at this point. He just has a handful of humans he could run to, but none of them he cares about as much as to let himself be this weak in front of. The only people allowed to see this are his family and Jinx. And Lucifer's the one who's here, but more than that, he's the one Gabriel has always loved most.

All follow-up to that catches in his throat and he ducks his head, fully expecting Lucifer to leave and abandon him to his misery- he's probably earned that much anyway.]

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer stares at him for a moment, and the anger slowly ebbs out. He doesn't believe Gabriel is sorry, not for a moment. But at least they aren't hollering at each other anymore. He takes a slow breath, reorganizing his thoughts.

Ultimately he just rests his hand on Gabriel's shoulder and doesn't say a word.]

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[Of course not. Gabriel doesn't inspire a whole lot of trust in people- the prodigal coward. That doesn't mean he won't take what he can get. Lucifer touches his shoulder and it's all he can do to keep himself from throwing himself on his brother and losing it, but even now, he's holding himself together with duct tape and friggin' pixie dust.

He does, however, break just enough to heave a tired, frustrated sigh and rest his forehead against Lucifer's chest- well, rest would imply a more gentle approach. It's more like Lucifer's breastbone is a substitute for a brick wall.]

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer is, fortunately, about as sturdy as a brick wall. His other hand rests on Gabriel's head, and he gives his younger brother several long, silent minutes to just think.]

What is her prognosis...?

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[Gabriel snorts, but doesn't put up the effort to move.]

Better than most. If she was human, she'd be dead. Don't make the big picture any less grim, though.

[thelightbringer]

[no matter what happens he's sure that Gabriel will be sure to double glove it from now on--no more monstrosities to worry about.]

In the big picture, do you really think this will be more than a speck on the frame? [Time: angels have a lot of it. It makes Lucifer both more existential and more wrapped up in details than mortals--even more than other angels, in fact.]

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[And then the dramatic moment was ruined by Lucifer's mental safe sex talk. Thank you, Lucifer.

And out of meta-land, Gabriel just sighs and pulls away.] For me? Maybe not. For her? It's kind of a big deal and I can't just say, "Life's a bitch and then you die" and make this all go away.

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer looks at him, at first with patience, then with faintly disgusted bewilderment. It's only a few years that Gabriel will have to spend watching Jinx fishtail through grief...but all the same, what point is there in it?

He doesn't ask.]

I'm sure Castiel can fill her up with alcohol if it comes to that. [Doesn't that help?]

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[Gabriel raises an eyebrow, as if sensing the unspoken argument. What point is there? What point is a war that no side is going to win? It's these simple things that make humans so fascinating. They die so soon, like fireflies, but they can still take the time to repair, to make themselves better after a tragedy.]

Y'know... I love you, bro. I really do. [He punches his shoulder in a rough, yet affectionate gesture.] But you suck at this.

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer almost tells him that he does not, that he's doing the best he can--it's like comforting Gabriel over the loss of a pet rock. And he almost, almost tells him not to call him 'bro', but he bites that back, too.]

Then let me give you some real advice.

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[Gabriel's trying to be understanding, but it's hard, when the second chance at life after death is lying on an operating table fighting for her life. He crosses his arms and looks up at his brother, hoping maybe there might be something he can take in what he has to say- he wants there to be, so badly.]

Shoot.

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer is quiet a moment, digging around to find what passed for empathy in his mind when he was at odds with someone]

Don't let this define your relationship.

[A beat; he steps closer]

And while she's healing, not just physically, keep your eyes on her. Don't worry about all of this. Turn off your beeper and hole up.

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

I don't plan on it. [He plans to move on and forget as soon as she feels capable of doing it with him. The same thing he always does- run and hide.

And now Gabriel's concerned on a number of levels. And he knows why. They brought it here- to his safe place.] Thousands of years of you idiots asking me to choose and now you're asking me to keep out of it- what're the odds?

[thelightbringer]

Not 'we'. Just me. [But that's all he says; he could remind him they're on opposite sides, but no point. He could warn him what he'll do if Gabriel opposes him, but that would only make things worse.]

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[Gabriel drops his eyes and sighs.] Please don't get killed. There's things bigger than us out there. Way bigger. And I've met 'em. Do not give those assholes a reason to hunt you down. Hell's painful, but nothing stings more than some jackass trying to slice you open while you can't do a damn thing. [Without even thinking, he grabs Lucifer's jacket and gives his brother a violent shake to emphasize his point.] Don't get cocky, you stubborn son of a bitch. You got it?

[Worried? About the brother who killed him? About the brother that despises everything he is now?

Always.]

[thelightbringer]

[Lucifer frowns, instantly protective in spite of everything. No one said their family dynamics made sense.] What did they do to you?

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

[...That went the opposite of where he wanted it to go.] Would it kill you to give me a, "No, little brother, I'm not even a little bit as stupid as you are" or something?

[thelightbringer]

That goes without saying. [Lucifer takes another step, well within Gabriel's personal bubble] Now tell me what happened.