Do you believe in magic?

[scotch_egg]

Who: Alec, Fell, Elliot and whomever else
What: "Magic" testing
When: June 11th
Where: Meeting room



He's cleared out a space, shoving all the metal chairs and plastic tables to the side so there was plenty of room. He had thought of adding a sarcastic bucket of water but decided that it might be too confrontational. Things were going to be confrontational enough since he told Elliot and Fell different times and Fell would put up a fuss about but-- but it was better than him hovering over everything and being overly concerned. Alec was older than him and Anthony too. He could take care of himself.

He briefly checked his watch before folding his arms and leaning against the wall. He hoped others showed up but he doubted there would be much to see-- memories were one thing but this was still real life for fuck's sake.

Comments

[temptationaccomplished]

"I don't know. Regrettably, I suppose, I just like you."

He put the ointment on, thought belatedly they should have washed him down with cool water not from the overhead sprinklers, and hoped it wasn't too late to not leave a scar. It was a much larger burn than he anticipated. Hopefully none of the shirt fibers were caught in it, but he could see where the shirt and the hairs on Alec's arm had been singed even where the burn was minimal.

"You really are very nice, even if you often embody a sense of gloom. And when you direct your kindness and thoughtfulness at me, it makes me feel ...rather special."

[scotch_egg]

"Thanks. Now I'm Eeyore." But it fit, he supposed. He couldn't really argue Fell down from that so he let it go.

"I mean, you are, aren't you? If you weren't a good man, I wouldn't have bothered. But don't--" Read too much into it? No... That would be too cruel. "Forget it."

That Fell actually liked him was up for debate as well, only it wasn't in him to argue that.

[temptationaccomplished]

Well, if the pinned-tail fit...

"Alright." Even if Aziraphale were a good man, and he wasn't sure he qualified, there were still other, much better people in Alec's acquaintance more worthy of such attention. And maybe that's why he wasn't such a good man after all, because he really didn't want to share that special attention if he didn't have to.

"Did you--" He busied himself with his hands. "What I mean to say is... The flowers after the dinner. With your family. Those weren't from Anthony, were they."

[scotch_egg]

He glanced at his newly bandaged arm and flexed his fingers. He watched Fell's busy hands for a moment, then looked away when the question was asked.

"Don't worry about it." It was just a thing. Something that had to be done. To be explained. Fell didn't deserve that reception and so someone had to make it up to him.

[temptationaccomplished]

Someone rescuing him, easing and smoothing things out for him, being so gentle and tender about it and never wanting or accepting his thanks. The gestures meant something to Aziraphale, even if they didn't mean anything to Alec. To him, Fell was something to be pitied, maybe.

"Well, thank you. They were lovely."

[scotch_egg]

Not pity. Pity was something you felt for a dog. It had meant a lot to him to make it right because that was what Fell deserved. Fell's gratitude was expected and the ebullience of it expected too, but awkward. He still felt like he'd done something stupid or wrong or desperate or all of the above.

"Beh. Point is, stick around long enough and they'll absorb you into the fold with only one or two catty remarks thirty years down the line. They'll never let you forget. But they'll forgive." He put a hand briefly on Fell's shoulder.

"I don't know if I should say 'welcome' but now that you're here, you're here."

And if he ever broke Anthony's heart he would have to run as far from here as he could get. But that was for later.