video @lightemup

[umbrastaff]

[There's no real face shown as the video turns on, just a bunch of white hair and the sound of frightened breathing and someone being a whiny bitch in the background.]

I need a healer or something. Probably a fucking therapist, too, but mostly a healer.

Please.

Comments

[umbrastaff]

[Welcome to the club.]

Hospital.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki lets out a hiss. ]

I have healing spells. I will be there.

[ And he closes it abruptly, his body full of tension. His immediate reaction is to find out who it is and make them pay. But he forces it down as he makes his way to the hospital. ]

[umbrastaff]

[At least she fucking knows who Loki is, AND he has healing spells. That's pretty much the best shit she's heard all day.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki strides in like he owns the place. Pinpointing the location was child's play after all. Deep down, his thoughts are a seething mass of rage, but Loki knows rage, can temper it at will and play it like a fiddle. He is no longer controlled by it.

Though it would be lovely to unleash it. He turns to face Lup, giving her a nod of acknowledgement. ]

What did he do?

[ Loki can hazard a few guesses of his own. They were similar creatures after all. ]

[spellslots]

[Why is everyone so rude.]

He got into a dumb fight that he lost. I'm fine, pumpkin, you didn't need to rush over here just to see me post ass-kicking.

[He's being a dick and he knows it, but he also knows that it's likely Loki will be able to see through his glamour easily, and that makes him antsy.]

[umbrastaff]

[Lup throws up her hands in frustration at Taako's reply and just slams her ass down on a chair.

Fuck this noise.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki looks him over, his green eyes sharp and unnerving. Loki is practiced at seeing through illusions after all. It is his defining skill. And not all illusions must be magical for him to notice. Finally, he takes a seat nearby, giving Taako a flat look. ]

How would I miss such a splendid opportunity?

Show me. I can manage a quick fix.

[spellslots]

[There's guilt there, briefly, because he knows he's upsetting Lup and that's never been the aim, he's just having a hard time reigning in his temper.]

You wanna take pictures, too?

[This, at least, is easier. Trading meaningless barbs with Loki is familiar, but he waves a hand at the offer.]

Don't sweat it, some magic doctor fixed me up.

[dothelokimotion]

Actually, that sounds like an excellent idea.

[ He even takes out his communicator, waving it in his closed fingers before setting it down on his lap. Magic doctor . . . ]

Did he have a babyface?

[spellslots]

[Taako, the height of maturity, flips the bird.]

He had like, a face? Not the most handsome dude in the world, for sure, but I wasn't paying a whole lotta attention, I'll be honest.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Smoothly, Loki snaps a picture. ]

There are two doctors who work with magic. Alternate versions. Stephen Strange. I'm mostly familiar with the older one. The younger one, he calls Babyface. He is very . . . new to his line of work.

[spellslots]

I mean, he's human, right? I'm shit with their ages but he seemed to know what he was doing, and I'm not dead. So, you know, he can't be that bad?

[Taako's used to Merle, who's literally the shittiest cleric in the entire universe, so his standards aren't high.]

[dothelokimotion]

I have no quarrel with him.

[ Loki didn't even know he existed. With many of the Marvels, Loki has no idea who they are. And he's certainly in no hurry to seek out people ready with pitchforks. His expression tightens minutely though. ]

Were you dying?

[spellslots]

Nah, she was holding back.

[And half the damage done wasn't even at her hands, he just made a stupid, risky decision in an attempt to hurt her and it backfired pretty horribly.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ She. Loki files that away. Taako would tell Loki if he wanted retribution. So the fact that he does not either means this is someone close, someone he does not wish to see hurt by anyone's hand. There are only a few that have magic and only one that matches the criteria.

His tone is airy and light. ]

Were you?

[spellslots]

[That's a harder question to answer, and he scrubs a hand over his face, wishing for the tenth time in the past ten minutes that he could just go home and shower.]

I dunno, I guess? Does it matter?

[dothelokimotion]

No.

[ It's not how they function, so Loki allows the small concession. Not every question must have an answer and Loki is more than adept when it comes to picking up what lies between the lines. ]

But your continued existence matters to me and I do not take that lightly.

[spellslots]

[God, this really is shaping up to be a Day, huh?

Taako closes his eyes for a moment, leaning back and just taking a second to deal with all of that. He knows Loki considers him a friend, but that's still a lot.]

I started it, bubbale. I'm not gonna try that shit again.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He wonders. That seems like a promise Taako can't give and Loki isn't going to demand one from him. So Loki merely exhales, taking that for what it was. ]

Perhaps not.

[spellslots]

[Lucretia left him with her coat and told him she loved him, and he said it back to the air. Maybe it's not a promise he can give, but it feels true.]

Pretty sure I said everything I needed to say.

[dothelokimotion]

Then I will consider it settled.

[ As for Lucretia . . . Loki will put it on hold. Perhaps a talk. He has no need for a pound of flesh, but Loki wants more than Taako's word that a repeat will not occur.

He's tired of losing. ]

[spellslots]

Much appreciated.

[He's being a little short, but he hopes Loki will understand.]

Hey, my fella, what are our chances of getting a teleport outta here? I can't cast shit that hard right now and Lup doesn't know it.

[dothelokimotion]

I'm not sure if I want to get between you and your sister. As much as I would enjoy annoying Babyface.

[spellslots]

Just bring her with us, there's not a lot more shit they can actually do here, I just gotta rest.

[And then he'll recover the rest of his hit points and be fine, because that's how d&d works.]

[dothelokimotion]

Very well. I shall see it done.

[ Loki rises from his chair, glancing between Lup for an affirmation. ]