。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

[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.

[mydear]

But still a little? I know you, dear.

[ He steps closer, looking him over. ]

I wish I could help...

[eyesofaserpent]

[He falters just slightly, waving closer to him. He wants to touch. He wants to caress him. He has his angel back, but he can't.]

It's fine. I've managed and it's healing.

[mydear]

[ All he wants to do is heal, fix his friend and bring Crowley some relief. He shakes his head, pursing his lips as he crosses his arms. He already feels like there's a painful hole inside of him that nothing can fill - he can't feel anything anymore. ]

You've managed. That's not exactly reassuring, Crowley.

[eyesofaserpent]

There's not a whole hell of a lot I can do about it Angel.

[He sighs softly and turns, getting his wings out of the way of the angel's hands in case he decides to try and touch.]

I'm not going to coddle you when it comes to this hellhole. It's bad here. And I want out. But not if that means I can be dragged back at any time and not at the expense of everyone else here. No one deserves this.

[mydear]

Well, so I imagined--

[ Well. He crosses his arms, looking away a little. He's not entirely used to Crowley being this stern with him, especially not in a situation like this. He's still dealing with the loss of all the feeling inside of him and he's not sure how to reply for a moment.

Breathing out, he closes his eyes. ]

I never asked to be coddled. I only wanted some kind of reassurance that, perhaps, things might be somewhat alright. You're here and I am here and perhaps that is enough? Even if this is some alternate universe where I cannot even feel Up There anymore at least I have you.

[ As if realising what he's said, he swallows. ]

I'd gladly let you go home and take your place if I could, you know.