Park, Wednesday Morning

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

Well, it wasn't Wisconsin, that was for goddamn sure. Of course, that didn't make...whatever the hell this place was any better. It just wasn't Wisconsin. He'd take that for now.

He'd been walking for awhile, given instructions on where to go and when to be there and told not to deviate from that path or face the consequences. And Loki had been sure Metatron had been smirking when he'd doled out those instructions. Smirking bastard.

So, he was here. On some stupid island called Fandom, he was supposed to work. The only work he'd known for years was killing those who deserved it. And now he couldn't even do that.

He really missed his flaming sword. Goddamn Bartleby. All his fault. That didn't mean Loki didn't miss him, of course. He was just blaming him. He could do that. He was allowed.

Deciding to take his time (look, he'd made it there, he'd get to the new job in due time), Loki took a seat on one of the benches and looked around. It was quiet, almost whimsy. Loki half expected a bird to land on his shoulder and start chirping. It wouldn't be his fault if the bird ended up dead if that happened. Just giving that warning now.

A park on an island. Him working. It could be worse.

"Fuck," he muttered.

No, it couldn't.

[And arrival! Feel free to come bug him but just be warned that he's surly and outspoken and he won't be afraid to take it out on anyone. Him =/ Me. And it always said Wednesday!

ETA: Details of Joan's conversation with Loki are NFB please!]

Comments

[withoutverona]

Romeo was, strangely enough, in something approaching a good mood this morning. The sad fog of the weekend had either passed or been pushed so far back in his brain that it might as well have, the sun was shining, and work offered some shape to his day. He was just going to get a muffin and then open the store.

On his way through the park, he noticed the young man on the bench. A stranger, but being pleasant never hurt.

"Good morning," he offered.

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

Loki thought about going with the cliché answer of 'what's so good about it?' but he was a little more creative than that. He wasn't losing that much of his touch.

"Good morning to you too!" he said, all bright cheer and pleasantness. Why not? "The birds are singing, the sun is shining and I'm alive. Can't ask for more!"

God, that hurt to say.

[withoutverona]

Romeo tilted his head slightly; that was more of a response than he had anticipated to what had been a rather tossed-off greeting.

"I suppose one can't," he said, pausing in his stride. "Are you new to the island?"

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"Does it show?" God, he hoped it didn't. He really didn't need this kid telling people he was new and having them show up at his door with pies and flowers and shit. "Yeah, I'm new. Just got here, in fact. You're not new."

[withoutverona]

"It's small," Romeo said. "You get to know everyone, at least on sight." This probably wasn't terribly comforting, if Loki was trying to avoid a welcome wagon.

He shook his head. "Not new at all anymore. I got here in January. I'm a student." Which was a not terribly subtle way of fishing.

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"Oh, well, good for you!" Loki said perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. The exaggerated thumbs he gave Romeo probably didn't help. "If you get your education, you can do anything. You might even go into space."

That was laughable.

"I'm a strong proponent of education myself," he continued. "Get a book and read it inside of sitting in front of the goddamn television and letting your brain leak outta your years. That's all this world needs, more people who think they're smart to head to work with people's lives in their hands. And oops, then something goes wrong and they come crying to anyone who'll listen and boo hoo hoo forgive me and my soul will be saved. Wankers."

[withoutverona]

Romeo stood stiffly for a moment, not sure if he was being mocked or if the man was simply mentally ill. He didn't often wear his St. Christopher medallion, but he'd put it on today, and he unconsciously tucked it back into the neckline of his shirt as he considered what, exactly, to say to that.

"You lost me somewhere between going into space and the state of the soul of wankers in need of forgiveness," he said, almost apologetically.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan was in the park, sipping a cup of hot chocolate and enjoying the nice weather before she had to go to cheerleading practice.

She smiled and waved at the young man before sitting on a nearby bench.

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

It was like a freaking parade.

Loki waved back and added a bright, idiotic smile to match. God had a messed up sense of humor. Almighty and all powerful and this is what God chose to do. Send him to some freaking island with a bunch of waving kids.

Though, if that was liquor in her cup...

"Morning!" Might as well make an attempt. He was bored anyway.

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Morning," Joan replied. "Are you new to town? Or just someone I haven't met yet?"

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"Can't I be both?" he asked, tilting his head and watching for...something. "If I'm new, you obviously haven't met me. Right?"

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"True," she agreed. "But I haven't been here that long, so it's entirely possible that you've been here forever and I just haven't run across you yet."

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"New, we haven't met before and I've been around forever. Just not here," he said, frowning now. What the...hell. Maybe he was seeing things. He was gonna kick the shit out of Metatron if this was some cosmic fucking joke. Maybe he was losing his goddamn mind due to this stupid friendly island.

"But, I'm sure you have a lot of friends, right?"

[berserkerminsc.livejournal.com]

Enjoying the week off and the resurrected companionship between himself and his hamster, Minsc was out for a walk, with Boo, of course. Always glad to see others about and a new face, he lifted a hand in greeting to the fellow on the bench.

"Morning, good sir!" he called. "I would watch that duck there behind you, if I were you. He seems to have a nefarious glint in his eyes."

No, he didn't. But Minsc believed firmly in the idea of prevention, especially when there was actually nothing to prevent.

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

Okay, more people. And this one was blathering about ducks. Beautiful. He was going to kill Metatron. Blame him instead of blaming God because, you know, God could kill him. Whatever. Technicality.

"The duck?" Loki finally said, squinting at Minsc. "Really?"

[berserkerminsc.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yes," Minsc said, nodding with utter conviction. "Those ducks sometimes have a tendency to surprise you. It is a good thing Boo noticed it and mentioned something to me so that I could warn you! I say you find yourself a new bench soon, or find yourself some nice bread to offer if that is out of the question!"

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"Is this some juvenile trick to get me off this bench?" Loki asked, now wondering if this guy had some undiagnosed mental issues. "Did I take your bench or something? Didn't have your name on it."

Not that he knew this guy's name.

"The duck can go drown."

[berserkerminsc.livejournal.com]

"It would be extremely difficult," Minsc mused, "for a duck to drown, considering they are waterfowl, good sir. And, no, please do not misunderstand my intentions! I am merely concerned for your well-being. I am actually not very fond of benches as a whole."

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"Ducks can drown. Trust me. I've seen it happen," he said. That had been a long time ago and there'd been extenuating circumstances but that damn duck had drowned. Stupid duck, eating his dinner. "I'll take my chances with the duck. Are you some kind of cop? Is this town so quaint that the worst crime is duck attacks?"

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff needed coffee.

A lot.

So he wasn't paying the strictest attention to where he was walking before almost careening into one of the benches.

"Ow."

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"You know," Loki said, opening one eye to peer at the idiot who'd almost fallen on him. "If I hadn't been on this bench and you'd done that, I'd have fucking laughed. Now, I'm just gonna say open your damn eyes."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"It's a lot easier when there's coffee," Biff said, looking a little disgusted with himself. "Sorry."

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

Loki waved it off and opened his eyes to peer up at the newcomer. "What, no waving? No bright smiles for me?"

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"It's early," Biff complained. "I don't do perky in the morning unless I've overslept at someone's house and don't want a plate of bacon thrown at me."

[flipped-god-off.livejournal.com]

"If it's so early," Loki said, imitating the emphasis, "why the hell are you out?"