theangelfell | (no subject)

(no subject)

Guarding the Eastern Gate was a lot more depressing once the humans had gone. It left basically no one for Aziraphale to talk to (or even look at) beside Crawly, and even Crawly wasn't around much now since there wasn't any reason for him to be there without anyone to Tempt.

Aziraphale was also still awfully worried about his sword.

He imagined he'd be given a new assignment eventually. He thought he'd rather like to stay here if he had any choice in the matter - here being Earth, not the Gate. He found himself wanting to follow the little family, see what they were up to. There'd be a lot more of them eventually, and they were bound to be interesting.

Heaven, on the other hand, was awfully boring. Good did not mean interesting.

He sighed a little bit and looked out at the storm clouds. It was going to rain again.

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Anael simply walked out of the Gate, shoulders hunched slightly in the way that had become characteristic of him since the events of the War. When he spotted Aziraphale, he headed straight for him, forcing himself to look less down in the dumps. He hadn't seen him since the humans had left, and he supposed life must be very boring for his friend, now.

He frowned as he came closer, though. "Where is your sword?"

"Oh," said Aziraphale, looking suitably sheepish. "Well, I sort of..." He considered, for a split second, saying that he'd misplaced it. It almost felt like temptation. "I gave it away. Actually."

"Do they know?" Anael asked, eyebrows raised in concern. "Upstairs." He could only assume who Aziraphale had given it to. They were both unlike most of their brethren, in the affection they felt for the humans.

"One would think that of course they do, but it's not as if I sent in a report," Aziraphale said, rubbing his hands together fretfully. "I mean, I had to do it, didn't I? They looked so cold, poor things, and she's expecting already, and what with the vicious animals out there and the storm coming up I thought, well, where's the harm, so I just said, look, if you come back there's going to be an almighty row, but you might be needing this sword, so here it is, don't bother to thank me, just do everyone a big favor and don't let the sun go down on you here."

Anael could not help but smile at the other angel. Now they both found themselves weaponless. "You've a big heart, my friend." He looked towards the path the humans must have taken, his smile fading slightly. "I hope they make it. They seem... resilient, don't they?"

"I suppose you would know," Aziraphale said, finally looking at him. "You're in charge of Love and all that, aren't you? I suppose you knew she was pregnant."

"I did not know that kind of love before," Anael confirmed, eyes wide and surprisingly vulnerable. "The love she feels for that life, growing inside her. It is fierce, and uncompromising. It is beautiful."

"Well you see why I had to give her the sword then," Aziraphale said, feeling a bit relieved and somewhat vindicated. He'd been worrying about it for days, that he'd done the wrong thing. Especially after Crawly had suggested it. "You're not going to tell the higher ups, are you?"

"I've no idea what I might tell them," Anael told him gravely. A lie by omission was a minor sin; honestly, Anael thought it would not add much to the tally of his sins. And it was for a good cause; Aziraphale ought not be punished for doing something that seemed so right.

Aziraphale only nodded, not saying thank you as perhaps it was best not to imply he was doing anything that deserved gratitude.

"There's bound to be a lot more of them soon," he said, looking out in the direction of the wildnerness again. "I wonder if there will be a lot more of us down here, too. Though no one seems all that keen on it."

"I was thinking of going to see how they were doing," Anael admitted. "I think I might do that, once in a while." They didn't need to know, of course. He would rather walk cloaked among them than have to deal with their reaction to an angel in their midst.

"They're going to need at least one man on the ground," Aziraphale said. "It will probably be me, since I'm already here. I don't think I'd mind that so much. Of course, the other side will probably do the same."

"That depends on who they send, then, I think," Anael stated quietly, a shadow having fallen across his face. If they sent a warrior, and meant to renew the War down here, then Aziraphale would hardly be the best choice. "And on God's desire." First, and foremost.

"None of them want to be here either, I imagine," Aziraphale said reasonably. "So it'll probably be the least representative of them too, which can only be good." Maybe the serpent, actually. Aziraphale didn't mind him so much, he'd at least been a good conversationalist. But he didn't voice this.

"I've no idea what Lucifer might have planned, if anything," Anael replied, his heart aching for one he still considered his brother. He forced himself to push past the emotions and focus on Aziraphale again. "You best be careful, unarmed as you are."

"Oh I wasn't really much for using it anyway," Aziraphale said. "Honestly I'm a little relieved to not have the chance, now. Well, except it really was a lovely sword."

Anael smiled at his friend, a smile where genuine affection and deep longing mingled. "You've a good heart, Aziraphale. Perhaps among the best of us."

Aziraphale looked a little flustered at that, but a sort of pleased flustered, all embarrassed. "Goodness me."

England would not exist for a great many years, but Aziraphale was already terribly English.

"I'm not sure it's a very practical thing to have," he told him, sadness creeping into what had been, for a moment, a very genuine smile.

"Probably not," said Aziraphale with a little sigh.

Then he looked out, away from the garden again.

"But don't you think that this world will just be so terribly interesting?"

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