John

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale rather liked visiting churches, though he'd done less of it these days. Perhaps a small part of him was afraid that being more conspicuous in God's view might make those Up There decide to start paying attention to him again. And if that happened he was pretty sure they wouldn't like what they saw.

"Mr. Fell," said the priest kindly when he walked into the sanctuary. "How very nice to see you." He was just stepping out of the confessional booth, so he paused and said, "Did you come to take confession?"

Aziraphale blurted, "No," so very quickly that it was probably suspicious.

The priest blinked, and then lowered his voice a little and said, "Just so you know, Mr. Fell, I consider myself a progressive member of the clergy, and you won't find yourself doing hail marys for perfectly natural forms of lo - "

"I just came to sit and pray," Aziraphale said quickly, cheeks turning quite pink.

The priest only smiled. "Well it's nice that you're here. I've been wanting to share a book with you. I came across it recently and thought you might like a look."

Aziraphale brightened. "That would be so lovely. Thank you, father."

The priest nodded, and then shuffled away, leaving Aziraphale standing at the front of the sanctuary.

Comments

[petty_dabbler]

Crowley slowly lowered his magazine and leveled a gaze at the pair.

"Children?" he said. It was serene enough...but that tone was one Aziraphale would recognize as barely subdued anger. "I'll need more to go on."

"Memnoth," John said and Crowley instantly shot to his feet.

"No, no, no. Are you out to kill him? Holy water is the best." Something he knew all too well.

[theangelfell]

"You know him?" Aziraphale asked. "He..." Now it was his turn to have the rage just underneath his serene tone. "He was working with an angel."

[petty_dabbler]

"What?! Working with an angel?!" Crowley replied in shock. As if such a thing had never been heard of. Ever. Not in 6000 years.

John looked from one to the other and which one, wondering exactly how long they'd been married.

[theangelfell]

"I didn't task," said Aziraphale quietly. "Wasn't sure I wanted to know."

[petty_dabbler]

"You probably don't want to know. But he's gone and I need to find Memnoth," John said.

"Well of course you do," Crowley said, conspicuously not offering to help.

[theangelfell]

"Crowley," Aziraphale said gently. "Might you have suggestions for where to find them?"

[petty_dabbler]

"Hell? Soho? Oh, what about Bristol?" Crowley offered.

John was obviously not impressed.

[theangelfell]

"Crowley, I thought you might be able to actually help," Aziraphale said.

[petty_dabbler]

The demon scowled and huffed a breath through his nose.

"I'd really rather not," he protested. "No reason to alert the home offices we still exist."

"Wot's that mean?" John asked Aziraphale.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale hesitated and then said, "They know. Or at least my lot know. I just ran into Gabriel and he did not seem surprised to see me."

[petty_dabbler]

Crowley shook his head slowly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. If they know we're here then of course we can't help. I won't bring any more unnecessary attention to you, Aziraphlale," Crowley said more gently.

To describe the look on John's face as shock was the mildest wording. He stared at Crowley a long moment, then turned to look at the angel.

"You two are bloody insane," he decided.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale frowned at John. "Why are we insane? You're the one going around killing angels."

[petty_dabbler]

JOhn poked him in the chest.

"I'd think you should be doing something about it. There's rot in Heaven. Angels going rogue but not falling. How long you been on Earth that you don't know this. Where you been?" he asked.

[theangelfell]

"Hey!" said Aziraphale at the poke. "I've been here."

[petty_dabbler]

"Sometimes he goes to France," Crowley offered helpfully. :You know. For the crepes."

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale ignored him.

"You're looking quite judgey," he said to John. "He and I just saved the world, you know."

[petty_dabbler]

"That's what I did last Tuesday," he scoffed.

"Wot's your story? Really?"

[theangelfell]

"Well, I mean... there was an apocalypse... and the antichrist... only we had the wrong one... oh Crowley, maybe you ought to tell it, you know I'm no good at getting things in the right order."

[petty_dabbler]

"Oh no. Oh, no..." John said. "You're the problem in Tadfield, aren't you?"

Crowley lowered his glasses. And then rose like smoke and crossed the room strangely fast.

"You need to leave, warlock," the demon said menacingly as he put himself between John and Aziraphale.

"You are!"

[theangelfell]

"What is happening?" Aziraphale asked, now utterly confused.

[petty_dabbler]

"Your boyfriend has all of Hell out for him," John chuckled. "Which, one would assume, is going to spill over to you."

"Get out!" Crowley insisted, then looked at Aziraphale. "Don't listen, he doesn't know what he's saying."

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale blinked at them. "Crowley, is that true? Are they looking for you?"

[petty_dabbler]

"Psspssspssss!" Crowley hissed, shoving John out the door. Crowley slammed the door behind the warlock and then leaned against it like someone might try to kick it in.

"Funny story, angel..." he started.

[theangelfell]

"Crowley!" Aziraphale looked scandalized, though it was unclear if he was upset he'd clearly been keeping something from him, or just that he'd been so rude."

[petty_dabbler]

"I didn't think it was serious," he said.