Aziraphale (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
temptationaccomplished) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
tramitem_log2020-07-22 08:40 pm
temptationaccomplished) wrote in tramitem_log2020-07-22 08:40 pm
Entry tags:
Saturday in the Park. (It wasn't the 4th of July)
Who: Aziraphale and Alec
What: They go to the zoo.
When: July 25th
Where: Central Park Zoo
Rating/Warnings: Socializing is always a mistake with these two. I don't know why they keep trying, but Aziraphale sure as heck hopes something sticks.
Aziraphale was waiting outside the entrance to the Central Park Zoo. It was late morning, enough time that one might be able to have slept in a bit or at least not had to struggle through the morning rushhour commute on the subway, but not so late that the sun was too high in the sky to overheat them. They had health concerns to consider, even if he didn't want to be obvious about making that something of a priority.
He was dressed in a short-sleeved blue linen button-up shirt and nice slacks, slightly dressier than his beach-party attire but nothing that looked too dressed up for a day at the zoo. No tie, because that was unnecessary, but he had chosen a pale straw panama hat to keep the sun off his face and had put on sunscreen because one with his complexion couldn't be too careful. He felt a little dressed down and in that way he felt almost a little dressed up at least in the sense of being dressed special. Which was ridiculous to be at all self-conscious over, but he did worry.
Pulling down his sunglasses just a little, he checked the time on the clock above the arched gates and compared it to his watch. He had already called ahead and purchased their tickets... Oh, he did hope Alec had it in him to be social today.
Aziraphale would be very cross (and disappointed) if he was stood up.
What: They go to the zoo.
When: July 25th
Where: Central Park Zoo
Rating/Warnings: Socializing is always a mistake with these two. I don't know why they keep trying, but Aziraphale sure as heck hopes something sticks.
Aziraphale was waiting outside the entrance to the Central Park Zoo. It was late morning, enough time that one might be able to have slept in a bit or at least not had to struggle through the morning rushhour commute on the subway, but not so late that the sun was too high in the sky to overheat them. They had health concerns to consider, even if he didn't want to be obvious about making that something of a priority.
He was dressed in a short-sleeved blue linen button-up shirt and nice slacks, slightly dressier than his beach-party attire but nothing that looked too dressed up for a day at the zoo. No tie, because that was unnecessary, but he had chosen a pale straw panama hat to keep the sun off his face and had put on sunscreen because one with his complexion couldn't be too careful. He felt a little dressed down and in that way he felt almost a little dressed up at least in the sense of being dressed special. Which was ridiculous to be at all self-conscious over, but he did worry.
Pulling down his sunglasses just a little, he checked the time on the clock above the arched gates and compared it to his watch. He had already called ahead and purchased their tickets... Oh, he did hope Alec had it in him to be social today.
Aziraphale would be very cross (and disappointed) if he was stood up.
no subject
You didn't need to know him long to realize that, right? "You've met Dr. Whitly? I don't think we look a thing alike, but ...whatever." His vanity was somewhat mollified by the thought of Whitly being a 'fried sheep' version.
"Thank you." He graciously accepts the napkins and attempts to clean up the spot. Had he been out with Anthony, he might have made a bigger deal of pouting about it, hoping for Anthony's help with the cleanup. Because that was a thing one could do with a boyfriend that one couldn't do with said boyfriend's cousin.
Everything Alec said lined up with most of what he'd gathered from the family dinner, and filled in a few of the blanks as well. Alistair continued to be a shitty piece of work, but he was sure Alec knew that and that didn't bear delving into, not when...
"His...exploits? Anthony's?" Aziraphale raised a brow and hoped for further elaboration.
no subject
A smirk. "I could tell you stories. They won't be surprising. Not if you know Anty. But they'll make you laugh." He was sure about that. And a day spent telling Fell stories about Anthony which would make him laugh and prevent any more awkwardness seemed halfway decent. So long as they didn't talk about himself.
no subject
Nothing surprising, things that would make him laugh. That sounded... Well, he'd like that. And he trusted Alec was being honest about the nature of the exploits.
"All good things, then?" He couldn't help the little uncertainty in his tone, though. There were comments made at the dinner, about the fickleness and fidelity of Crowley men. There was an offhand comment when the portals had first opened, about going off with something more tempting, should it come along (Aziraphale thinks it was a joke; he hopes). There was the fact that Anthony was a demon, apparently.
no subject
"He was a mischievous kid." His eyebrows rose. "Something on your mind, Fell?"
no subject
no subject
"Let's see. I could tell you about the Christmas of '94. Of course he would hate me to tell you that one..." A smirk.
no subject
The gratitude sparkled his eyes and smile. He tried not to scare Alec away with that affection, but it was hard not to be so outwardly thankful. He fought down the urge to say thank you and embarrass Alec.
"I certainly won't tell him who told."
no subject
Alec pretended he hadn't noticed.
Instead he told him about the Christmas of '94. And then another story leading off of that one which had happened that summer. He spoke of other summers and playing in the back yard and how Anthony used to hide in the cemetery about half a mile from the house and scare anyone who passed by -- then ran away laughing like mad. He didn't say that he'd caught the consequences of one or two of Anthony's escapades and had been annoyed then, but now he remembered them fondly.
By the time they reached the white cats his voice was a little hoarse and he'd run out of water.
"Do you see another stand around?"
no subject
"Oh!" He looked around and bit, still distracted by the stories, and spotted one near the end of the enclosure. "Yes, of course. What would you like?"
no subject
no subject
"They seem to have the right idea." The cats looked very content, much like the bear. Opening his own water, he wet some napkins and wiped his sticky hands and gave another attempt at his shirt "...Thank you, by the way, for telling me all those stories. It's like getting to know you two better."
no subject
"Nah. It's nothing. You can even tell him I said it. There's nothing he can do about it once it's told." And it was nice in a way to get something of his own in. He drank the water and then pressed the bottle briefly to his forehead.
The only problem now was that he had nothing to say and he was fairly sure that Fell wouldn't let silence stay for long.
no subject
He let the silence linger a little while. It was more comfortable now, now that things weren't nearly so awkward. He could watch the cats in their enclosure, listen to the children giggle about them and compare them to pets back home, watch the couples stop and look and walk on. Watch Alec, with his freckles and heat-flushed face and borrowed/hand-me-down tee-shirt.
Sitting here, watching the world pass by, felt like the most natural thing.
But when he let the silence go on, he wasn't seeing the cats. He was thinking about dinosaur statues and a boy with a demonic nanny, and whose 11th birthday party had a rubbish magician. A boy who Anthony, sitting beside him on a bench much like this one, had suggested (tempted?) that he could kill.
no subject
He was stirred to something like alertness as he watched Fell's entire posture change, from pleasant enjoyment to something -- almost sad. Worried maybe. His face was as easy to read as a book and Alec wondered if he knew it.
"Something wrong?"
no subject
When he turned to look at Alec, he put on a tight smile. How could he tell Alec about that first memory? When they were just becoming something almost like friends? He wanted to-- He wanted to confide in him, as he had so much already. But he couldn't. This was his and Anthony's secret. "Just the heat. You know, I think it was supposed to be in the mid thirties today.*"
* = around 90° F
no subject
no subject
no subject
"Then don't. But if it is a memory, speak to someone. Don't just let it fester. Times are good right now so you should enjoy them if you can, no matter what this... whatever it is is telling you."
He wondered if it was about Fell himself or Anthony or something completely unrelated.
no subject
"I don't really feel comfortable speaking about my memories," he confessed, lowering his voice since they were in public. He had, of course, told people little by little. Lisa had learned some things by accident, during that trip to the library. And Creme the snake had introduced himself, but these memories weren't something one just talked about freely. It was private. Of all people, Alec had to understand. "I can't be like the others, sharing their discoveries." The words seemed to tumble out of him. "It seems so sweet at first, sharing and caring. But there is no telling how it could be used against us or those we care about."
no subject
"I get it." Then dropped his hand to clutch it around the water bottle with the other. "I suppose we're both trapped by these bloody things."
no subject
I'm sorry you're in this too But he thought better of the words, because Alec hated pity.
"Thank you," he said before withdrawing that touch. "For being supportive. For understanding, and always somehow being here when I need you."
no subject
"It's nothing. Don't make a production of it." He didn't want to be thanked for it. It was just part of taking care of Anthony and part of taking care of Fell. It was like they both drove around with blinders on and if he could make their way a little easier, that was just the right thing to do.
no subject
And the rambling was only making it worse, he was sure. "...And there I go again."
no subject
Just...give him a minute.
no subject
Was there any way to make Alec happy without him knowing someone was helping him? Something small, enough to know he was cared about. He wish he knew what sorts of things Alec liked best, instead of just what he tolerated for the sake of not making a fuss.
Oh! He pulled out his phone and sent off a text to Anthony:
If one were to, say, want to do something nice for Alec... what would you suggest? Think on it, please. I don't require an immediate answer.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)