The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 3: Multiple Uses for a Fez

Chapter 3: Multiple Uses for A Fez

"Meet you at 3pm."

That had been the callback. Prompt. Without emotion. Without observation.

Aziraphale became intrigued by this new perspective of Crowley's. Watching them both, looking at things as they played out. But it seemed over now. The demon was brooding, manic, impulsive, and just unreadable hiding behind his glasses. He just refused to remove them...

And as Aziraphale approached the bench he thought to himself: This shift couldn't happen at a worst time.

The angel felt warm, uncomfortably so. And he had another predicament, feeding off of Crowley's presence, rearing its ugly head...

He stood solidly in front of Crowley until his friend grunted a greeting to him.

"Would you care so much if I just...stood up, dear boy?"

Crowley barely gave him a glance. "I'd prefer if you sit. It's distracting."

Again, turning away.

Aziraphale edged down carefully into the bench and huddled into himself with some painful chirps. Crowley starred out into nothing.

"I'm sorry," the angel finally ventured, when nothing was spoken for a time," I thought you wanted to speak with me. Continue the adventures or what-have-you?"

"M'sure."

Despite his discomfort the angel was insulted. "This was your idea. I thought we would carry on the conversation of observation. Trying new things for a bit. Isn't that why you asked me here?" No answer. He stiffened, or at least the rest of him did," Is this just boorish routine, Crowley!"

"Naw, naw," the demon waved distractedly. "Had to explain, y'know, that I'm not doing that anymore. Things changed. I got hit with a sudden wave of energy, had to burn it off, like."

"Why?"

"Whot?"

"Where did the energy emerge from?"

Crowley regarded his jeans. The angel's eyes followed. "Not sure. Probably just happy to be free for a bit. Dunno." His friend kept staring down.

"You bought a hat."

"Oh, yeah." Should I drive down to the Cotswolds? Crowley mused. Lovely little villages, especially speeding by at 150 an hour. Run a bunch of those cyclists off the road, that would be my good deed for the day. Anything to calm my fucking libido down!

"It's a fez."

"I like fezzes. Fezzes are cool." I bet Germany's Autobahn would be lovely this time of year.

"I've never seen you wear a fez. Why aren't you wearing it now?"

"I am wearing it." Oh, crap. Did I just say that out loud?

"What?"

"Whot?"

"So, um, you've stopped observing, I see. Taxing, was it?"

"Ah, yeah. Took a break from it. Got distracted by the energy."

"Oh." The angel sounded crestfallen. Crowley didn't notice.

"I think I'll drive to the country for a few days, burn it off some more."

"By...by yourself?"

"M,yeah. Stretch the Bentley's legs a bit."