Lyra Gardhouse (gardhouse) wrote in nevermore_logs, @ 2011-04-15 16:39:00 |
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Entry tags: | lyra gardhouse, thanatos |
WHO: Lyra Gardhouse [Open to Thanatos]
WHEN: Late Thursday night
WHERE: A hospital because I don't know which one
WHAT: Last days/first days
The hospital cafeteria was very quiet at that hour of the night and Lyra had been struggling not to fall asleep at the table, bad coffee steaming up in tendrils that she'd been staring at for too long.
In his room she was pretty sure her grandfather was asleep. Demont Gardhouse had been spending most hours of the day asleep now and Lyra knew that was better, and that if he had the choice he would have had it all end sooner. He slept on, but still when she returned to his room Lyra pulled the chair over to his bedside and picked up the book she'd left at his bedside
She read to him in the dead of the night, quietly so she didn't disturb the patients in other rooms, the night staff already familiar with the low murmur of Lyra's reading voice. The book in her hand smelled like Demont's home and the edges were rough, a book well loved and well read over the years. He used to read it to Lyra when she was young, and now she read it back to him, conjuring up the images of snowy wilderness in the way he'd once taught.
"Each day mankind and the claims of mankind slipped farther from him. Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire and the beaten earth around it, and to plunge into the forest, and on and on, he knew not where or why; nor did he wonder where or why, the call sounding imperiously, deep in the forest."
Demont made a small sound in his sleep (or his half sleep) and Lyra looked up from under the dim lamp light to see him. Book left on her lap she reached out and stroked his forehead, sure that it could only be days now before he left her completely.
His twin was sleeping, and when Thanatos was not making his rounds he went to Hypnos' house and made sure his twin was safe. It was an oddly comfortable routine, sitting on Hypnos couch and being assured of the steady presence of the other part of the coin.
But now work called, and he didn't mind so much. He liked many of his patients. There was only one who now would be subjected to his touch, but Thanatos hardly competed with his Christian counterpart. It would be illogical to fight with something that was so close to him.
When he walked into the room he was a little surprised at the second presence, although he shouldn't be. She was here a lot. He paused an cleared his throat, "pardon the intrusion ma'am." Always polite.
He looked at the old mortal, noticing the strand and how frayed it was. Soon then. Calmly he stepped closer, looking at the clipboard before checking the man's vitals and smiling at the young woman. "Visiting hours are over, and while I'm not seeing you," he would let the poor girl have her last days with this man. He wasn't cruel, "my shift is almost over. I know the next nurse, and she's rather strict on things. I am sorry."
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 09:53 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
Someone else entered the room and Lyra looked up at him. "No intrusion," she told him quietly, recognising him from around the hospital. It felt strange to be called 'ma'am' by someone who looked close enough in age to her.
When he told her she had to leave, Lyra looked sadly at her grandfather and ran her hand across the thin hair left on his head. "There's no way I could stay just a little longer?" she asked, looking over to the nurse as she held the novel to hr chest. "I don't want him to be alone now."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 09:59 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
He smiled at her and drew back, "like I said ma'am. I don't see you here. I get off in two hours though. I'll speak to the next nurse in charge and let you remain but I can't promise anything." He paused, always uncomfortable in these situations. It was easier when mortals couldn't see him.
"He'll hear you tomorrow ma'am," he gave a small smile before looking to the novel, "what are you reading?"
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 10:14 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"Please, 'ma'am' sounds strange," she said with a shake of her head. "It's Lyra." Lyra had never been all that comfortable with formalities like that.
"I'm not sure he'll still be here tomorrow," Lyra said quietly, having accepted this but still not wanting it.
She drifted away into her thoughts for a moment but when he asked the question she looked down at the book and then up at him again. "Call of the Wild," she told him with a small smile. "He used to read it to me when I was younger."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 10:26 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
He nodded then, "Thane. A pleasure." He tried to set his patients children and grandchildren at ease. Not always easy seeing he knew he was detached from then, and some could sense that about him.
"He will be." He knew his being so sure often creeped people out, but he was trying to help. "I have been at the side of many beds. Tomorrow will not be his last day. He is waiting, I think. Probably to hear the end of the book."
Smiling he nodded, "a good tale." He watched her, "can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?"
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 10:40 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"Then I'd better read faster," Lyra considered out loud, "I don't want to be keeping him here any longer."
She put the book down on the bedside and looked up at Thane again. "No, thank you," she told him. "The tea from the machines is terrible. No offense meant."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 10:44 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
He smiled, "take your time, I am sure he enjoys your company." He laughed and shook his head, "no. No, it's fine. Trust me I agree. I have my own stash and the privileges of a microwave. If you'd like that I can get that to you. The staff room coffee isn't much better then the machines, but still something."
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 10:52 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"I think he'd far more enjoy the company of his wife," Lyra said as she squeezed her grandfather's hand. "His whole family is waiting for him on the other side. He should be at peace."
Lyra's smile was not large but it was warm. "If you would, I'd really like that. A black tea would probably stop me falling asleep quite so much and I've got assignments I'm meant to be doing." Not that Thane needed to know any of that. She was just talking for the sake of talking, since Demont didn't talk back to her.
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 11:01 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
He smiled, "if you are all he has left, I imagine he wants to make sure you're alright. His wife and family will have all the time to catch up. His time with you is limited. He may not respond, but he hears you."
He bowed his head, an old habit, "I shall get that for you. I'll be back in a few moments then." With a smile he left the room, doing a few check ups while the tea was brewing before returning with the hot mug.
"Here you are then. Careful, it's hot."
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 11:05 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
When he was out of the room, Lyra had pondered over his words and then whispered a promise to Demont that she was fine, he could go on. When Thane returned she took the tea with a 'thank you' and then asked, "are you a religious person? I know that's not really appropriate, but I wondered from the way you spoke."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 11:12 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
The question was a bit of a surprise, but one he often got. He glanced to the man and smiled again, soon then, before he looked to the girl. "No it's quite alright. And yes. I am. And no I'm no Catholic or Christian." He gave a grin, "usually the second question. My belief is rooted in something older, and often something unnameable. Some things are too old to put a name to."
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 11:44 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"Demont is Catholic," Lyra confided. "He never lost that faith, even when things were hard. Even when his only child died and his wife died." She shook her head, hands wrapped around the mug. "I envy that sort of faith. I've never been able to hold onto something like that."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 11:54 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
He smiled, "some faith is strong, some not so." He shrugged, "it doesn't matter, not really. Belief is a personal choice, as is not having it. No one should judge you for it, least of all yourself." He smiled again, "but I'm not good at this."
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 12:00 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"I'd like to have belief," Lyra told him. "I'd like to truly believe that after this life there is something else, be it heavenly gates or golden halls or a ferryman waiting." She made a small and almost amused smile at herself. "I'm Greek. The role that religion plays in life there, it's huge, everything's Catholic. Well, except my parents who insisted on believing in the ancient Greek gods instead. Still that's faith though, and even until they died it remained with them." Lyra lifted her tea. "I talk too much."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 12:12 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"And they tell me I do not talk enough. You're in good company." Grinning he took a chair opposite of her. Her parents had been of the old faith then. He wondered if he'd taken them.. "Your parents and I are of similar faiths. I have old roots. My mother kept swearing we were related to Achilles and Alexander." He chuckled, "Illogical as it was, it gave me heroes."
He watched her with a smile, "you can't force belief. A good portion of it is willing to question it. Whatever God made us, made us with the ability to question. To not use it, would be a disrespect." He watched her and smiled, "but in your grandfathers case he believes he will see his gates, and be welcomed by his God and his family. In his heart, this is something true to him. If your wondering about that, do not."
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 12:21 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
His family sounded like her own and she smiled at him. "Sounds like my mum," Lyra said, remembering her with warmth in her tone and a nostalgic smile. "She used to tell me that I was a child of Apollo, her own little gift from the sun god and that's why she could never keep me inside. It was nice to think of those gods watching. I always understood them better than his distant god," Lyra looked over to her sleeping grandfather.
"I suppose it doesn't really matter if there's no gates waiting," Lyra said, "because he'll never know." She shook her head in apology. "I spend too much time with dead people. I find it difficult to remember faith." Although that was just an excuse since Thane must see dead people every day and he still believed in something. He didn't cut into their bodies and understand the science of them though.
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 12:35 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
It was oddly possible actually, and he'd never been too connected to the realms of those gods. Perhaps he had not sensed her because of that. He'd look into it. A daughter of Apollo would deserve being watched. And Hades would want to know. Hades always wanted to know.
He just smiled then, "a claim that back in the day would have made you what is like a celebrity today. But only if you had some misfortune befall you. Greeks liked their drama."
"Yes. He will. He will know, and be at peace with it." He shrugged, "it's alright. What do you do then, that you see so many dead people?" A joke he'd learned from Hecate and one she always groaned at.
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 12:42 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"I've had my share of misfortune," Lyra just told him, but filled in nothing more than that. She was the only one left of her family and even she had almost not made it this far. She still wore scars beneath her clothes from the car crash that had taken her parents.
"I'm at mortuary school," Lyra said, prepared for the usual comments about that being a little creepy, but she suspected a man who spent all his time around the sick and dying wouldn't find it so. "Just first year, but I'm wanting to be a mortician at the end of it."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 12:48 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"Oh, really?" He shifted the conversation quite easily. "I've a friend who's a mortician, if you come to the point where you need a place to do an internship at or you want connections I'll give you his name. He's a bit of a cranky sort, but he's a decent fellow underneath it all. He comes by here now and again." He knew Hades would find interest in a girl whose parents dwelt in the Underworld. A lot of fault could be said towards Hades, but he looked after people. Thanatos liked his King.
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-15 12:54 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"That would be really good," Lyra nodded with a smile, "although right now the idea of actually graduating feels forever away. They've only just let us start touching bodies." She looked at her grandfather, knowing he found this talk creepy and hoping he was taking in none of it. "But who knows, one day maybe I'll have my own funeral parlor. That's the dream anyway."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-15 01:12 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"One I am sure you will reach. And it'll be sooner then you think." He smiled again before rising from his seat, "I enjoyed our talk, but sadly I must continue my rounds. I do hope to see you again at some point. Just ask for Thane Reini."
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[info]gardhouse
2011-04-17 09:50 am UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
"Thane Reini," Lyra repeated to set it to memory. She reached out and took his hand for a second after he stood so he couldn't turn away yet. "Thank you," she said to him with feeling and let go of his hand. "It was nice to have someone to just talk to."
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[info]a_gentle_death
2011-04-17 01:18 pm UTC (link) DeleteFreezeScreenTrack This Select
He had to remember his touch did nothing to mortals not of the belief, or near death so he smiled to it before removing his hand. "It's quite alright. Anytime you need that, just look for me. Give your grandfather my best."