。001 | action + phone

[mydear]

ACTION • KRAMDEN ROAD.

[ It'd be safe to say that waking up in a strange place in a bed is entirely unusual for Aziraphale - considering he doesn't have a bed for any purpose other than for his only friend to nap in and that he doesn't sleep, all of this is very strange. He was a little more happy to find that he'd been given a set of rather fine clothes - but that was less important. He walks downstairs and almost has a very-unangelic heart attack - not a single book in sight. In fact, this is looking less and less like Soho and more and more like some elaborate joke to mess with his head, neither of which he is particularly appreciative of.

Opening the door, he steps outside and looks around - and there he stands, kind of wide-eyed and lost. Because this is not home and he certainly has no idea how to go about explaining it. Divinity only explains so much, after all, and he doesn't think anyone Up There would play this kind of joke on him (no matter how grand his part in stopping the end of the world was). ]

PHONE •  (OPEN)

[ There's a long silence before the sound of fumbling and a soft, lost little sigh - and then the angel gets the hang of it. Technology of any kind will always be lost on him. ]

Hello? Is anyone there?

Comments

[eyesofaserpent]

[He checks in on Aziraphale's drone every morning. Well, not including the days he was stuck on the other side of the carnival, of course. He just wants to make sure he's still a drone and not who he ought to be. Who Crowley wants him to be.

This morning is not unlike and other. He speeds around town and screeches to a halt, turning into the driveway of 1487 Kramden Road. He takes a moment to get out of the car, his right wing escaping first, then the rest of him (and his amputated wing). Other than his wing, he looks entire like he normally would.

Well, that's unusual. The drone Aziraphale usually was to be found inside drinking coffee and reading the newspaper when he came to visit, but this time he's outside? No wings, though. That's disappointing.

He still walks over with a sheepish wave and his other hand in his pocket.]

Hallo, Angel.

[mydear]

[ Seeing Crowley pull up is definitely a relief - he relaxes a little, trying to centre himself somewhat. At least he's not entirely alone and, perhaps, the demon will have some kind of explanation about what on Earth, excuse his language, is going on here.

He steps out to greet the demon, smiling fondly - he knows that, maybe, he should be somewhat more panicked about all of this, but after thousands of years of life you learn how to keep calm and carry on in certain situations, especially when a supernatural force (be it Up there or Down Below) might be the ones behind it. ]

Hello, dear boy.

[ He waves back. The demon seems oddly relaxed, considering, and that's just as soothing as his own mental calming is. ]

I don't suppose you can tell me what's going on here?

[eyesofaserpent]

[He stops, staring at Aziraphale. That wasn't an American accent. And he didn't call him Mr. Crowley. And he didn't look politely confused by calling him "Angel". If anything would unsettle his cool demeanor, it is being suddenly hit with the knowledge that Aziraphale's back.]

A-Aziraphale?

[mydear]

[ Having no idea what's going on and, as usual, being completely oblivious, he just smiles and nods. Crowley's confusion does put him a little on edge, however, considering how content he was moments before. ]

Yes, my dear, I thought we'd established that.

[eyesofaserpent]

Oh, bloody brilliant.

[He can't help but grin, a measure of relief washing over him. He quickly closes the distance between them and wraps his arms around him in a tight hug.]

Aziraphale, you stupid, beautiful angel. You came back!

[mydear]

[ To say that Aziraphale is shocked would probably be an understatement. Nevertheless, his arms slip around Crowley and holds him gently, comforting as best he can without actually knowing what on earth is going on. ]

I didn't know I'd gone anywhere.

[eyesofaserpent]

Well, you did and you didn't. Your body was still here. You were a drone for two months. Your wings are still gone, it seems.

[mydear]

A drone? My wings?

[ He leans away from the hug, looking behind him - well, he normally hides his wings. Easier that way. When he tries to recall them, however, he has no luck. For a moment, he's panicked. ]

Crowley, I can't summon my wings.

[eyesofaserpent]

Huh... Mayfield took them away again. I don't know what you did to piss them off, but I suppose that makes things a little easier without you knocking my shades off every time you turn.

[He clearly doesn't seem too terribly upset about it. He might even be a little envious, however.]

[mydear]

Crowley. I don't understand what you're talking about.

[ He looks a little lost now, more confused and scared. ]

[eyesofaserpent]

What do you mean? Of course you know. You've been here since December.

[mydear]

I most certainly haven't. If this is some trick I'd ask that you stop - its not funny.

[eyesofaserpent]

[He stops and lets go of Aziraphale, taking a step back. A cold chill of fear runs through his spine.]

Aziraphale, what are you talking about?

[mydear]

I think a better question is what are you talking about?

[ He looks put out now. ]

I have never been here, not once. I'd remember.

[eyesofaserpent]

Oh...

[He shoves his hands in his pockets, forcing that air of calm over him he wears as a mask, a bluff. He's torn. He has Aziraphale back, but... But he doesn't remember Mayfield. He doesn't remember how their relationship changed. He doesn't remember how he lo--

He shoves that hurt under his carefully relaxed mask, trying his damnedest not to show it.]

Oh... Well, then you have a lot of catching up to do. You're in a town called Mayfield. This place is a bit of a hellhole. There are patches of calm where you can go about the life Mayfield wants you to have with spurts of horrors.

[mydear]

[ It's safe to say that Aziraphale notices something change about the demon - what it is, however, he can't put a finger on. Instead be nods, listening, trying to take it all in. He's smart, but even this is a little much. ]

Oh. That - I'm not entirely sure how to react to that.

[ He pauses, nodding. ]

How long have you been here? How long have 'I' been here?

[eyesofaserpent]

I've been here fourteen months now. You've been here for...? I guess eight months now.

[mydear]

How long was I a... Thing?

[eyesofaserpent]

Two months you were a drone.

[mydear]

I... I really don't remember any of this.

[eyesofaserpent]

Mayfield is good at mind control.

[He frowns. Mood altering flowers were how they had gotten physically intimate back in February. He'd also been a drone for a day once. He remembered everything of that day.

His feathers ruffled on his remaining wing, bristling with frustration.]

[mydear]

So I see.

[ He notices the wing, stepping around with wide eyes. ]

Crowley! Your wings! What happened?

[eyesofaserpent]

[He shifts, a bit uncomfortable with the scrutiny.]

There was another zombie outbreak. My left wing was bitten. I asked an ally of mine to remove it so I wouldn't turn. Again.

[mydear]

[ Aziraphale stares, swallowing. He can't imagine anything like this happening, and it turns his stomach. ]

Another -- Crowley...

[ He doesn't know what to say. ]

Is it painful?

[eyesofaserpent]

It's been a while. I... Not much anymore.