abraxaslogs | Set my sights on the setting sun

"Four months until the next Dimming."

He says it because he's awfully sure it's going to end up more of a problem than the last one. And the one before that. Although maybe then it won't be a social-engagement problem and instead just a flat-out capital-P Problem.

He ditches his partially-dented mask but he continues to rock the rest of the outfit, sitting on one of the small beds.

The bedding is going to end up on the floor, pooled in the middle, no doubt, instead of them dealing with these beds.

If Istredd has any hopes that Lucifer is going to let that anger continue on forever, unacknowledged, then he really is quite the fool--something Lucifer knows, but man, come on. You're trying to stamp down something that falls on the Wrath Spectrum, far as Lucifer is concerned. Anger on one end, Wrath on the other, Rage somewhere in the middle, maybe.

It's all levels of him regardless.

Count your blessings that he let Istredd have his way about it during the party.

Istredd may think he has a reprieve though, as Lucifer is fixated on Istredd's illusory stretch of stars, constellations so very different from Lucifer's own world.

Lucifer sighs. He doesn't know how he feels about that large of a meeting, but he says, "You are aware by now that any meeting of that scope requires all parties to not be stupid about how they enter the Horizon en masse." Although I don't know if the other factions pose as much a potential risk as Thorne.

He isn't playing into a big role for that meeting if it goes off though. No way, no thanks. The Thorne Summoned know him, see him, accept him.

Nationwide is not on his side.

"I may recommend Rhy and Sabine to come with me this time. She's shown a deep interest in the Singularity." Istredd is glad when anyone is interested in it. He has only found so much but the truth is that he doesn't have the deep connection others have found. It's a little disappointing, but he isn't goint to beg the entity over it.

"I don't think Ambrose would let you go at this point." He is apologetic about it, although Lucifer's never shown interest in going. The real problem will be the pain that will happen all over again. At least Lucifer can hide away during those minutes without being vulnerable again. They can build a stronger shield in between.

The beds are tiny and he can't elongate them really, so the floor ends up being the best option. Their feet dangle off and it is uncomfortable. Istredd managed to get extra blankets and bedding for this reason. He can still use the bed itself to sit and decompress.

It's not really that he's trying to avoid the talk. They have reached the point in their relationship when it is expected that they do have the talk. Istredd just is trying to figure out for himself what he is feeling. He rubs his temples.

"Yes, yes, I know. It's possible only a few people from each faction can go as representatives or something. She also wants to publically talk about it, maybe a network post. She's interested in sharing what we know from Josselyn and keeping everyone aware and connected."

Istredd obviously inclined to help Wanda no matter what. They'll figure out exactly what the best way to go about it is. At the moment though he doesn't want any more network posts blinding his vision.

"Here, this is Nero without the mask." He shares it mentally. "So you can avoid his nonsense in the future."

"I have time to suck up," he says winningly, but they both know he has no intention of doing so. "I'd rather have eyes on the rest of us while you go try to proposition a rock again." He is interested, but he's not an idiot. He trusts others by this point to be additional eyes, but he does work best with Istredd, for better or worse.

"It would likely be good to disseminate that information," he admits, a bit annoyed that he's agreeing with it. He's weird with community gatherings, it's just how it is.

... What is with the amount of white-haired Summoned?

"Maybe this time it won't try to break me." Hey, hope springs eternal. He's been there once before and Istredd visits the Singularity regularly in the Horizon. It's possible it may recognize him or at least know he is no threat. Although he thinks the attack has more to do with powerful magic than anything else, given Rhy didn't react to it. Hard to say for now.

"I agree. I think a combination of sharing information on the network and in person may work. I can always give people a wing of the library to write all their knowledge in a public sharing way. Our conspiracy boards but public." Istredd does have a lot of information written down already, this would be a community project, one others could give to. "I heard there was a group talk some time last year and it went alright."

Hard to say who all showed up and if it went anywhere, but he can see the benefit. He rubs his temples. "With you and Dean not trying to kill each other anymore, it could be tolerable."

"Maybe trying to break you is the only way it can show how it cares."

He's amused, okay.

To be fair he has to be because he just assumes it's going to be extraordinarily painful again.

If you do manage to go again I hope it's a less state-secret trip so I can at least shoulder up with Natasha or something.

Let him be around something he vaguely trusts not to use it against him and that also knows what the hell is going on.

"Like Dean would go anyway. That kind of thing is more his brother's speed."

Lucifer has yet to find out Sam is gone as well. He'll figure it out soon enough when he starts trying to send annoying messages to Sam and realize that the man hasn't gotten that good at blatantly ignoring him and that he's just no longer with them.

"I think it just doesn't like foreign magic. It could be defensive in a vulnerable state to it." That is all guess work to an entity that has no answer, but Istredd thinks that makes sense. It is at its weakest and then these magic users from other lands are on its property? (Get off my lawn.)

He shrugs. Even if we are on a peace mission again, they did eventually give permission for it. Of course, it had already been taken by then, so permission after the fact, but it still worked. It is more likely they will be back in Thorne and Thorne can allow whatever it wants. It won't stop Istredd from going. He may have agreed to stop and think more, but this is a non-negotiable issue. If he can go, he will.

"He can always send Jo or Castiel too. Jo is the young blonde woman I believe you fought with." Lucifer hadn't put a name to the woman that was fighting beside Dean and Geralt in that first conflict. Istredd met her on the turtle. She was kind despite the situation, he remembers that. "I'm letting Wanda take point on that, it was her idea to share information."

Actually, "It should be defensive in a vulnerable state." He chuckles. "Maybe if you bring to it all the different aspects of Abraxan magic it'll feel more comfortable." But finding that out of Thorne specifically would be difficult, and the likelihood of a joint operation would not... fly very well.

Who knows. It's just a thought.

He remembers the blonde's bar and smashes the two names together to get Jo Harvelle, but he doesn't put the name together like Michael, and her importance. Just another slip of a thing to likely die in the path of the Winchesters, just as he warned her.

"She'll love that," he says sarcastically. Wanda's more social than the two of them, to a degree. She's still rather be in the backdrop. He hopes more than anything that she drags Michael into her shenanigans.

"So what's got you in a tizzy?"

There's the 180 of their conversation.

"We'll see if we're allowed to go again. It's not as if we got a great deal of information for Ambrose, but the casket is worth bringing at least." It isn't about what they tell Ambrose anyway. He wanted the casket, he got the casket. Any other details were mostly theirs. Istredd will press because he refuses to miss out on their once a year chance.

He is determined to get the Singularity to be friendly with him. Even if it takes years of this.

Istredd shrugs. "It was her idea. I'm just helping facilitate." Istredd does have a lot of information so he's not surprised that Wanda was bouncing ideas off of him. And he's going to support her no matter what.

He makes a face at the 180 which he knew was coming and frowns, leaning forward, elbows onto his knees, setting his head on top of a fist. Crouching is more of a Lucifer thing, and yet here he is in his own version.

"Geralt pissed me off. It's stupid and petty." And yet, it's getting to him.

"The casket is enough of a reason. Even if you solely put weigh on allowing you to go because of that casket, no other purpose." Give the mage what he wants and they'll get what they want.

He watches Istredd fold into himself which given the size of their room and their both equally tall heights there's just something very amusing about it, but he's not laughing at Istredd now as he had on the dance floor.

"It's Geralt," he says simply, "I'd say that comes with the territory." In his experience, anyway. "Stupid and petty or otherwise."

As long as they're both aware that it is stupid and petty. Istredd hates when he has feelings about things that are unimportant, even if technically to him, they are important, otherwise he wouldn't be upset about them. It's frustrating and it used to be a lot easier for him to internalize everything and swallow it all down. Not so easy now.

"Jaskier asked why they hadn't told him about me, and Geralt said, and I quote, 'I tend to forget about the mage when he's out of sight.'" To someone who knows Istredd, it should not be a surprise that he'd be set off by being referred to as insignificant. Annoyance flares through him and he stands up. Now it's Lucifer's turn to have someone pace as they rant.

"He showed up back home asking for my help and I dropped everything for a stranger, and when he asks for my expertise or ideas here, I give them. And then!" He throws up his hands. "In the Pit we saved each other's life, I stopped him from killing someone while sick, I helped everyone escape." So they were supposed to have bonded through that, in his opinion! "We've talked since, I thought in an almost ally-adjacent way." He isn't going to say friendly! Ever! "But apparently I'm not memorable to Mr. I Communicate In A Series of Grunts But Somehow Everyone Loves Me."

Yes, Istredd can go on petty rants too. Surprise surprise. "In front of a new person too!" That's part of it too. He and Jaskier were unexpectedly thrown together and he finds the bard interesting, but that indifference gnaws at him.

Edited 2023-07-13 21:58 (UTC)

Wow.

Okay.

Geralt really did piss him off.

But then, this isn't entirely petty.

"To be fair I think it's less an insult to you and more that he doesn't have the brain power to process someone literally not in constant eyesight," he says blandly. So, an insult for Geralt, but genuinely it wouldn't surprise Lucifer if it was accurate.

He is not going to comment on the 'Mr. I Communicate In A Series of Grunts But Somehow Everyone Loves Me' as tempting as it is.

"He's much smarter than he looks. Yennefer doesn't get involved with stupid people." She might have sex with someone hot but stupid, but she wouldn't stay with them. Istredd waves a hand, he doesn't want it to get confused. "This isn't about her, I'm just saying, he is no fool." Not everything is about Yennefer, it's more because he knows Lucifer respects Yennefer's opinion.

He also just revealed more or less the two of them are a thing, not only from the same world. Oh well.

"But it's also bullshit because why does he sometimes seek me out if he doesn't remember I exist? I said fuck you and then he kept talking like nothing happened." Could it have been teasing? Probably not. He doesn't think so. Well Geralt did say we're not there yet. Ugh. Istredd feels like early days at Ban Ard. And those were the worst of the days.

"What a prick." That is muttered mostly to himself and he sits again, a firm thunk down. Several swears in a row.

"--Wait, hang on, I'm sorry, him and Yennefer?"

He is truly apologetic but he just needs that clarification because he didn't even get the potential memo that this could've been a jealousy thing. He gets that it isn't but he needs to catch up.

"And you answered your own question. He's just a prick."

"Yes, in the past, I don't know about now. They're allies at the least." Istredd glances up with a sharp look, warning. "Don't use that against them. He may be a prick but he's important."

And maybe that's what it is coming down to yet again. Istredd seeing someone else as important and not himself. But Geralt is, undeniably, important. He is Ciri's father, and she is the most important person in their entire sphere. He is bonded to her by Destiny, which makes them special. That is just something he is not going to get into.

It's also obvious that Istredd wouldn't like using anything against Yennefer. He can't take back that Lucifer now knows, but he will warn him all the same.

"I don't like being dismissed, that's all." Rage button.

Edited (too many at leasts) 2023-07-13 23:51 (UTC)

Wild.

"I don't particularly like getting on Yennefer's bad side--" So he won't use it exactly against them, however--"I could stick my arm through his chest again for you." Paaaaaause. "In the Horizon. Of course."

But seriously. If he ever actually pisses Yennefer she could easily just turn the Queen his way.

He does not need that, ever.

"No, then he might think I care, which I don't." Yes, Istredd understands how ridiculous and untrue that sounds considering his rant but he's going to stubbornly stick to it no matter what. It's not exactly that he cares only about Geralt's opinion, but maybe his occasionally growing pride is easily taken the wind out of.

He sighs and gets up to start taking off the costume. His is actually very comfortable, all things considered, but the shirt part at least can come off, and he can remove the illusions so it's simple black again.

"He also might have flirted with me? I don't know. I don't understand how they all talk to each other, it's very strange." It's the kind of easy and warm and fun way friends who all love and feel comfortable with do. Not really his way of doing things. He only talks like that with Lucifer.

Which he doesn't care. Clearly. Super obvious not caring.

That wasn't a 'no, don't murder people in the Horizon, Lucifer' that was a 'no, don't murder people in the Horizon because they might think I care, Lucifer.'

Eyyyyy.

That's likely what happens when Istredd realizes he's just stuck with someone who is 1) prone to murder 2) likes murder.

(Or: Istredd is too much in his own head to realize.)

But Lucifer's hardly going to draw attention to it.

"Oh, he flirted with you," he drawls, a touch amused, "you should've led with that, there's all your answers. Maybe the real answer is he's playing hard to get." He waggles his brows. "Being an adamantly difficult d-bag," which must explain the purely dismissive behavior, "because he's jealous of Yennefer having you."

Istredd is absolutely too much in his own head right then to realize, but that's because he has already told Lucifer to stop murdering, so he assumes his general 'don't murder' would still apply. Although if it's in the Horizon, he can just roll his eyes and hit Lucifer on the nose with a rolled up newspaper like a bad dog.

Istredd scrunches up his nose at the very idea. Blasphemy! "That is ridiculous and very untrue." After a beat, he smiles though because it is funny as a concept and the waggling eyebrows are obnoxiously charming, as per usual. He knows for a fact it's silly but he can tell Lucifer's trying to get him to laugh, which is cute on its own.

He steps over to Lucifer and puts his hands on his hips, blue eyes getting some of that clearness to them again, less frazzled. "Once you win the ultimate game of hard to get, everyone else is really too easy." Now it's his turn to waggle his eyebrows at Lucifer, the obvious ultimate in question.

Edited 2023-07-14 01:03 (UTC)

No it does not always automatically apply. It's also more like. A guideline. To him.

And now wholly important. Generally speaking.

Honestly, it's likely good they don't live in Free Cities because Lucifer would just become a mercenary just so he can leave the city and kill people on a regular basis. Come on, Thorne. Let him out so he can kill people ~~in their name~~!

Ah there's that clarity. Good.

"Hey, I'm not saying win Geralt," don't play to win that one he said he'd share with Yennefer (and the Singularity) not Geralt, "I'm just saying mentally screw with his head a bit as punishment for casting you aside and making you feel like dirt."

:)

You know!! Simple things!! Perfectly normal things.

Istredd is not someone who is prudish about killing people. If he has to, he is confident he will, it's not about that. Like he said, it's mostly about enjoying it. He doesn't want to be like Stregobor or the other mages who stopped caring about anyone other than themselves. He knows he's involved with someone who has no such hesitations. And he'll keep reining him in where he can, to keep trouble from happening.

"My love, I assure you, Geralt truly does not give a shit about me, and he does not want me. Although your confidence that I would be capable of winning him over is very sweet." He kisses the top of Lucifer's head and starts to set up their bed on the floor, leaving most of his clothes on, outside of his shirt. He runs warm as usual.

"It rubbed me the wrong way, but I'm not going to waste more energy on it than I have to." Istredd sighs. "And he did step in to help with the Nero situation."

Edited 2023-07-14 01:55 (UTC)

What if he flirts with Geralt to screw with him on Istredd's behalf then, huh.

God the amount of effort that would take, no thanks.

"He's stupid not to give a shit about you," he huffs. Which is maybe one of the nicest things Lucifer's ever actually said to or about Istredd.

It doesn't make him less right!

He should get out of his moth layers, not just the mask. It will not be comfortable to sleep against and he does like this outfit more than any of his others, though when the heck he'd ever wear it again is a mystery. He could take up a vigilante role, costumed and all.

Also too much effort.

It's going to take years off his life getting out of this so he does slowly get started, revealing a layer of black fabric under all the parts and pieces.

"Yeah I don't think he stepped in for either of us," Lucifer points out.

"You have to say that because you regrettably fell for me and can't turn it off now. Poor thing." Istredd thinks that is a very nice thing for him to say, but Lucifer is also generally a show not tell person. He is saying nice things to Istredd all the time with his feelings and actions. The fact he doesn't often open his mouth to form the thoughts doesn't matter.

"He didn't do it for Nero either." Well, maybe a little for Nero, but mostly in a general way. "He knew just as I did that having the two of you play who is the more dangerous person in the middle of a party was going to be a disaster. As fun as it may have been for you both."

And Istredd does think they probably would have ended up having fun. Two destructive super powerful people letting loose? They may even have ended up friends if they both survived the encounter. The rest of the people there though, that would have been the problem.

Istredd manages to make a nice little nest of pillows and blankets, the only way for the two of them to enjoy sleeping here, and strips off the rest of his costume to put it on top of one of the beds. He might use it again some day too, now that he figured out how to do the illusion the right way. Lucifer's seen him naked plenty by now so it's not a concern.

"And then they definitely would not invite us back. Which would be a problem as this might be a great place to hide out some day."

"Trust me, I absolutely don't have to say that."

Geralt may be smarter than he looks but now Lucifer thinks Istredd is giving him too much credit. No, he's pretty sure Geralt did it for Nero. Something something white-haired men stick together. Or whatever.

Istredd has a nice nest and Lucifer is literally tossing bug exoskeleton pieces into that bed and Istredd's space.

"They've been underground for thousands of years with just each other," Lucifer says, "they would've invited us back even if we blew a crater in the middle of their party, just with different precautions."

And as Lucifer tosses his pieces, Istredd picks them up out of their makeshift bed and puts it on the bed. He is even nicely stacking it in a very easy to pick up way, organizing both their costumes next to each other. He is neat that way. It's a credit to how long they've been sharing a space together that he isn't even thinking about it, he just automatically starts doing it.

"Maybe." Istredd concedes. "We still know too little about them to make a decision, but is there anything jumping out to you as an absolute not about the place?" Nocwich has an absolute not, it's a good question to start with. They still have to build relationships and what have you here, but it does seem like the potential best spot to hide from Thorne.

With the understanding that this would be a choice by the Fey. The Summoned aren't going to force their hand, at least not Istredd himself.

Istredd's far-too accustomed at cleaning up Lucifer's messes, purposefully made or otherwise, that it likely should be a sign of... something. An omen to come, maybe.

"The trades they were making," he says. "Currency that none of the other locals were using or bits only the person themselves could give. Some of it wasn't weird but I caught one vendor trying to get hair from Rhy for a piece of jewelry."

It's entirely possible that it didn't mean anything, but...

I don't like willfully giving over something someone could use as tracking spell components.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject