¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (chakram) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-10-05 20:08:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, callisto, xena |
Pre-emptive murder is probably a little much, you think
Who: Xena and Callisto
What: Xena doesn't deal well with the state her dreams left her in
When: Early October
Status: complete
Rating: PG-13
With Xena home now, Callisto had to be a caretaker. To an extent, anyway. There were things Xena could still do for herself, and she let her do them. But on the things she couldn’t do, Callisto stepped in to help. Even though caregiving was so far out of Callisto’s realm of expertise, it wasn’t even funny. But she was trying, and not moaning about it. At least not outwardly. There were plenty of conversations going on in her head about not being a caregiver, but she never said anything out loud.
Callisto was also happy for her god powers because if she wasn’t near Xena when she called for help, the teleportation came in very handy.
She was also doing the leg work for keeping their business interest up and running smoothly. Which sometimes that gave her a nice break from trying to do things she wasn’t good at.
She was standing in the kitchen, looking at the contents of the fridge. It was largely stocked with whatever Xena wanted now that Callisto didn’t need to eat. She didn’t even need to drink, but she still drank alcohol. Possibly too much of it, but when she couldn’t even get a slight buzz anymore, it was rather pointless.
“Can I get you anything?” She called to Xena, fingers strumming against the door of the fridge.
It was bizarre, and embarrassing, and infuriating in some ways. Xena did not want to be an invalid. She did not want to have to rely on people. But she also didn’t simply give up. If she could do it herself, she did. But she also had to swallow her pride and sometimes seek the help of a woman who’d been, in her dreams, a very bitter enemy.
Xena rubbed her temple, leaning her elbow on the arm rest of the couch. Even though she had a chair to get around in, the couch was more comfortable. Mostly. “Yeah, we got any chicken?”
Xena’s pride was one reason Callisto didn’t move to help unless she was asked to. She let Xena do what she wanted, even if it seemed impossible. But Xena always did the impossible in the dreams, and sometimes even here, so she just let her go.
“Yeah, we do.”
“I’ll eat it cold.” Cold chicken was actually pretty good and she didn’t want to make Callisto have to nuke it - or use her powers on it which usually meant charred chicken and if she wanted charred chicken she’d ask Joxer.
“Alright.” She grabbed the chicken. “Want a beer?” Callisto was going to grab one for herself, might as well ask. Alcohol did nothing for her anymore, but she could enjoy it without the hangover, at least.
“Yeah, a beer is fine. Take it on painkillers, what’s the worse that could happen?” Well she knew the worse but she didn’t particularly care. Fuck, but she missed being on the road. She missed being herself.
Grabbing a second beer, she closed the fridge with her hip, and she went into the living room, handing the chicken and beer out to Xena. “Like mixing those things could do you in. You’ve survived a lot worse.”
Xena gestured to the cushion next to her before taking the food and drink. She didn’t say anything in response, just shrugged and took a shot from the bottle. Then a bite from the chicken. “I keep expecting Ares or someone to flash in and offer me a deal.”
Taking the seat, she opened her beer and took a drink of it. There was a snort at her statement. “It’s entirely possible that he could.” If Xena was talking about him appearing here, nothing seemed to be impossible where Orange County was concerned. If she was talking about the dreams, it was also highly possible. After all, Ares had it bad for Xena.
“As long as he stays in Colorado and doesn’t come here, I don’t think he’ll be a problem.” On the list of people Xena wanted to see, Ares was near the bottom of it. Xena didn’t want to deal with his shit, or the perpetual hard-on he had for her in his pants. “But sometimes he’s enough to make a girl swear off men.”
And sometimes he was enough to make a girl really love men.
“He’s enough to make a girl swear off anyone,” Callisto corrected. At least in her case. Though she’d really sworn people off before she’d even met Ares. Sex just wasn’t exactly her thing. She was starting to think she was more asexual than anything else, like her dream self seemed to be.
Xena knew they could count on one hand the number of people Callisto was attracted to. It was that thing they didn’t talk about anymore, at least once they’d had their argument. She still hoped Callisto found someone. It didn’t have to be romantic or sexual (though she really thought Callisto could use a good fuck into the ground), but just someone, besides herself. “Point taken.”
It was a topic Callisto didn’t want to talk about. It would only hurt, and she was done hurting. Of course, burying the pain deep inside didn’t help matters either, but she wasn’t going to talk about it ever again. While she had a couple acquaintances, she wasn’t expecting anything to come of it. She didn’t really do friends. “But he can definitely stay in Colorado.” In fact, Callisto could do with no one else from their dreams showing up. Though she possibly wouldn’t mind Theodorous, even if he’d started to go all puppy dog eyes on her before she’d died the first time.
“Pre-emptive murder is probably a little much, you think?” Xena wasn’t really serious. Now, Caesar would die the moment he stepped foot in Orange County. No ifs ands or butts, she’d take his head of and she’d enjoy doing it.
“I don’t think so. Saves trouble down the line from people you know will be problems.” Of course Callisto would have no problem with it. She didn’t have a conscience. She knew the difference between right and wrong, she just preferred doing wrong.
“Caesar’s mine, if he ever comes here,” Xena said. There were some lines one shouldn’t cross, and that was one of them, but she’d do it anyway. He’d caused her too much pain, too much suffering over the years. And neither Hercules or Gabrielle were around to stop her. She sighed, taking another bite of her chicken, before waving it around. “Gotta do something about the gang. Make an appearance. A show of strength.”
“He’s all yours.” Callisto didn’t have anything against the man and no emotional investment. The only person from her dreams that would warrant that was Xena. But she wasn’t going to take Xena’s head. “You got something in mind?” She asked.
“Good.” There was a great deal of anger in that word. Caesar’s death wouldn’t be quick or painless, if it came to that.
“Yeah. But I’m gonna need to pretend I can stand. I’m gonna need to figure out how to ride my bike.” But they could do it. Xena had done crazier stunts for similar reasons in her dreams. She could do it.
“The standing part will be easy. Get a brace for your back and legs that allows you to stand up.” Didn’t one of the former Presidents of the United States use something like that? She thought she remembered something about that from high school history class before she dropped out. “As for the bike, what if you got it modified to have the brake and accelerator on the handlebars instead?” It would take time to do that, obviously, but Callisto could certainly run interference with the rest of the gang in the time being as needed.
“Good idea.” Moving around might be hard, but if she positioned herself in the right way that might not be a problem. Hell, she could make them leave before she did. That would be the best option. “I like it. I don’t think balance will be an issue either, just gotta change how I rode.”
With her dead in her dreams, she was stuck like this. It was time to accept that and find ways to live again. Odd, getting basically peptalks from Callisto.
The moving thing could be addressed when it got to that point. But for now, getting the logistics in place would be best. “Definitely doable. And any in person stuff that needs to be done in the interim, I can do it.” Especially if she needed to rough anyone up, she could totally do that.
“I think you might need to rough a few people up. Couple of the more loyal ones sent me a few texts last night. There’s been some talk, rumblings about the state of the gang.” Xena coughed, then cleared her throat with the beer. “Need to remind them they ain’t shit without me.”
And that brought that slightly unhinged grin to her face, a dangerous gleam in her eye. “Oh I can certainly do that. Sending messages is something I love doing. Just give me names, and I’ll get it done.” She might need to reign in the blood thirstiness, but roughing people up was her specialty.
“I can give you names, you’ll figure out the places. Try not to… kill anyone. A few broken bones never hurt anyone though.” Xena thought at least one of the people in question could end up dead and she wouldn’t shed a tear.
“I’ll try to refrain from killing.” It wasn’t precisely a promise, but she’d at least try to behave accordingly. Though when Callisto got angry, any rules she was supposed to follow went out the window.
It was a gamble. But it was one Xena would just have to take.