The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 43: Babysitting

Chapter 43: Babysitting

"Why don't you let me carry those for you, angel?"

"You have grubby hands."

"You don't mind it when I touch you."

"Yes, but I'm re-washable."

"And more durable." The angel poked his nose over the books and offered him an ancient look. Crowley gave him a peck right there, just to listen to him grumble.

"Why the nose, Crowley? Why is it always the nose? It's a rather strange penchant."

"It's not always the tip of your nose, angel," the demon corrected, planting a firmer kiss on his lips. "This is my favorite spot of all. And I prefer it unencumbered, if you catch my drift." Aziraphale stopped, his eyes glazing over, and the demon had to steady him by the arm. "Easy. Didn't mean to drop you."

"No," Aziraphale muttered hazily, swaying a little as the demon braced him. "Just thinking to myself, well, I much prefer the encumbrance. You enjoy it too, and all the attentions it provides."

"A bit of sass this afternoon?"

"Nerves again," the angel added, shaking his head clear, and ambling forward again. "One of us has to have them, after all." As soon as he uttered the words, Crowley dragged him back with a sudden grip on his shoulder. Perplexed, the angel tried to see the demon's face, and what he did see was an instant change in mood. Crowley was sniffing, his eyes narrowed. "What...what is it?"

"Kids are here," the demon hissed, his nose up in the air. He turned to his beloved; his huge eyes stern. "We're not going in with all this."

"The hell you aren't!" piped a shrill voice behind them. Crowley swung around, but braced the angel from doing so to prevent the books from crashing to the ground. Behind them stood Anathema, tight lipped and crossed-arm behind them. "Enough delays! Now, you get your ethereal butts in there before I have to kick them inside."

Crowley twitched his head. "B.G.," he exclaimed with admiration, "Glad to see the savagery back!"

"Kids are staying downstairs!"

The angel turned to Crowley," Hasn't Shadwell been teaching Pepper to pick locks?"

"She listens to me!" the witch proclaimed, unfolding her arms and pointing to the door," I've got a few more things to grab out here, but I won't be long, So, get!"

The couple before her exchange looks, and shrugged. A sort of relief relaxed their movements as they marched inside. "Guess she go over her trepidation," the angel muttered, as Crowley held open the door for him. Quickly, he looked up at the horse shoe above, "She has to keep it up there, doesn't she?"

"Yep."

"Does that have any effect on you? I saw no implication of it last night."

"She offered to hex it. Waste of time, too risky. I'm just evil enough, I suppose, for a good tingle."

"Were you ever evil enough, sweet boy?"

"Only in the grayest sense. Horseshoes are terrible indicators of subjective ethics."

And with that, Aziraphale stepped into a beehive of activity. Entering the kitchen was like trying to avoid a stampede of cats. Children chased each other around the table, stopping every once in a while to smudge some crayon or paint on a piece of thick paper. Shadwell and Newt slipped in and out on their way back and forth with boxes, yelling and complaining at each other and everyone else. The angel was so taken aback he didn't notice that Crowley wasn't behind him.