The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 171: A Book Of Bruises, Preempted

Chapter 171:

Crowley's dreams that night rolled him in his sleep. Nothing new there, except that they were ordinary dreams he couldn't remember, and frankly, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd had ordinary dreams. He chalked it up as a sign of growth.

                Then his blurry eyes opened to land on something light colored hovering at the side of his bed. At first he barely registered it, letting his body wake up, stretching lazily, and thankful, to at last be afforded rest.

                Then he squinted.

                "Angel," he asked. "Why am I seeing the top of your head?"

                Aziraphale's face turned to him. Well, the top part anyway, a very mild expression on it, and then it returned back, and downward. So, the demon crawled to the edge to inspect his friend more thoroughly.

                The angel kneeled facing the door ahead, clean shaven and hair trimmed, and naked but for a silver chain around his neck and an unbleached linen over his loins. His hooded eyes cast downward; his palms rested on his lap upwards. In those was a generic riding crop. Crowley groaned and fell back, holding his head and yawning.

                "Aw, look, I'm glad to see you too, but if you want that, just crawl up here for a quickie."

                No response.

                "Angel, I'm encouraged by your eagerness, but believe it or not, I'm not quite in the mood for all-out worship this morning. I just bloody woke up."

                Very quietly, he was told," Then I shall wait here until you are, my Lord."

                "Aw, fuck's sake," The demon spat, kicking the blankets off, and twisting his body into a sitting position. He leaned forward and really regarded his friend. "Interview did a number on you, did it?"

                A slight nod.

                "Woll, me too, as I'm sure you're quite aware. Out of curiosity, where did it lead?"

                Aziraphale's eyes flashed distant pain. "The nap."

                Crowley clamped his teeth and hissed. "Ehh, me too. No wonder you're like this. Can't shake the mood?"

                A slight shake of the head. The demon reached out and petted the angel's hair, and then smoothed a hand over his neck and shoulders. "Where did Spirit Wings lead?"

                "Wings of the Spirit—"

                "Where did it lead?"

                "Back to the Long Before," the angel's soft utterance cracked, and Crowley winced. "The...first time...."

                "They remade you, shit." The demon drew him, unresisting, toward his lap and bent down to hug him. "I'm sorry."

                The angel trembled a little at his touch.

                "Let's get some coffee and shake this."

                But Aziraphale didn't move. He asked," What about you? Fire Lily?"

                "Ah, um? The...day I found her, angel. And then you. And then we lost her again."

                "I see." Such a trembling, tiny voice. Crowley gulped, and squeezed him.