。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]

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.

[eyesofaserpent]

[He closes his eyes briefly before he reaches out for Aziraphale. He stops before he touches him, realizing what he's doing and shoves his hand back into his pocket.]

You'll always have me. I couldn't leave you here, Angel.

[mydear]

You most certainly could. I would order you to do so if you had a chance to leave.

[ He still looks somewhat uncomfortable. He's still getting to grips with it all, bear with him. ]

I - I'm sorry for my outburst.

[eyesofaserpent]

You could try to order me around, but I wouldn't listen. You're too important to just abandon.

[He shakes his head a bit.] It's fine. We're both under a lot of stress here.

[mydear]

[ He rubs at his eyes gently - he's not used to any of this. Feeling tired, hungry, needing to drink and breathe and actually be human rather than fake it. ]

I - I didn't realise simply being human was so difficult.

[eyesofaserpent]

It's a bit of a challenge, but it gets to be second nature. Have you eaten yet?

[mydear]

No, I haven't. I just 'woke up'.

[ Even that was startling for him and he shifts nervously. ]

[eyesofaserpent]

[He nods and heads over to the Bentley.]

Get in, Angel.

[mydear]

I see some things don't change.

[ He slips inside anyway, getting comfortable. ]

[eyesofaserpent]

[His own entry is a little awkward with his wing, but he looks comfortable inside. He backs out of the driveway and then speeds through the neighborhood.]

Why would they?

[mydear]

They wouldn't, of course. It's just nice to see something familiar amidst all this - yourself included, of course.

[eyesofaserpent]

I.... I'm glad you're back to being yourself. It's been... Hard... Without you.

[mydear]

[ He breathes out a soft, sad sigh, looking over at Crowley and smiling. He can't imagine what life would be like being alone with a robot version of Crowley for company, and knowing that the demon felt that- it's playing with his very human heart. ]

I'll not leave you again. I promise.

[eyesofaserpent]

If you do, I know it's not because you want to.

[He pulls into his own driveway and turns the car off.]

Come on. I can make you whatever you want.