Fallen ~•A Good Omens Fanfiction •~

Chapter 14: Shakespearean mess

Chapter 14: Shakespearean mess
By Crowley

  It had been five years since the triumph Hamlet had made, five years since Aziraphale and I hadn't seen Shakespeare. Not that we missed him – not at all, I didn't care – but it seemed weird to go to the Globe Theatre without the knowledge we’d meet him there. Actually, it’s Aziraphale who decided we should go, as he wanted to see if anything had changed.
  ‘I’ll meet you there,’ I said. ‘Got things to do.’
  ‘Of course, mind how you go,’ he smiled happily.
  I hate to admit but I wanted to look my best, not because we were going out, but for him. Just to see the look on his face as he glared at me. I needed to impress him, though I knew it was impossible, so I opted for a classic but stylish clothing set, with a black shirt but just a bit shinier than usual, and for the rest, I remembered the one time he made me make that miracle for Hamlet to become more popular. I smiled at that thought and put on the exact same clothes. If it wouldn't impress him, it would at least bring back memories… If he did think of that, that is.
  He was already there when I arrived, patiently waiting for me. Early, as always – or something’s wrong, and it's the only reason Aziraphale would be late. He wore his usual clothes, as if it wasn't important, and that was probably true, but for me it was important. Not the way he dressed – who cares about that anyways? – but our meeting. We did see each other everyday or almost, but still.
  ‘Ah, here you are!’ he exclaimed as he caught a glance of me.
  ‘Hey Angel. Are you planning to go in or we’re just gonna stay here like we don’t have anywhere to go?’
  He frowned.
  ‘But we don’t have anywhere to go?...’
  ‘It’s an expression, just let's come in.’
  Until then, I hadn't seen why there were so many people trying to come in. And again, I just wanted to find a certain angel and so I didn't care. Now that I had found him, I could start to care.
  ‘Is there a play or something?’ I asked. ‘Or are people just stupidly crowding for no reason?’
  ‘There actually is a play,’ he confirmed. ‘I don’t know which one, but it’s one from Shakespeare. I thought maybe we could watch it together…’
  I turned round and stared at him. He looked so excited to the idea, and as I looked back quite mad, he did the begging eyes thing. Why did he always need to be so good at persuasion?
  ‘Fine. But if it’s Hamlet again, I don’t promise I won’t leave.’
  ‘Oh, thank you, my dear.’
 

***

  It was not Hamlet. It was worse. It was Romeo and Juliet.
  ‘For the love of…’ I sighed. ‘Angel, did you know it was this.’
  ‘I swear I didn't,’ he answered.
  He was lying for sure. He’d loved the play since the beginning. He probably heard the play would have another representation and immediately decided we should go and see it together, though I did not like it. Actually, the play itself wasn’t that bad, it’s just that I knew Aziraphale would most likely cry in the end and that would be so embarrassing.
  He headed to the first line and I followed him through the serious amount of anonymous faces that crowded there, expecting to see a play that could help them out of their boring life for a little time. Thankfully, I managed to join him before I lost him in the crowd.
  ‘You’re fast when you want,’ I commented.
  ‘Oh, please.’
  ‘No, you really are,’ I insisted. ‘I almost lost you there.’
  As we were talking, a man entered the stage. He was standing on the extreme right and so nobody noticed him. He saw us and hurried towards us.
  ‘I’m so glad you’re here!’
  We looked at him. Shakespeare? What was he doing there?
  ‘We lack a comedian, the one playing Romeo called in sick,’ he explained. ‘I know it’s all thanks to you that Hamlet got some fame, and I wondered if you could help me once more…’
  ‘What can we do?’ asked Aziraphale.
  ‘Well, if you knew a comedian, or anyone, who knows the role… It’s the only way to keep the play going, else we’ll have to cancel the representation.’
  The angel knew a lot of people, but we both knew it was out of his reach. There was no comedian of replacement. He was about to excuse himself to William Shakespeare when something – I don’t know what – made me say something stupid.
  ‘I can do it.’
  They looked at me, surprised. They weren't as surprised as I was, frankly. But that was true, I knew the role, as I had read the play many times, knowing my angel liked it.
  ‘Well, it’s not usual that Romeo has long and red hair, but yes… That will do,’ Shakespeare agreed. ‘And if you already know the text, that’ll be perfect.’

***

  I played my best. In the end, as we came back to the stage for a last greeting, I heard women talking about how great they had found our performance.
  ‘This Romeo was amazing, wasn’t he?’
  ‘I have seen the play four times now, and the new Romeo is a lot better than the other, really,’ confirmed the other. ‘I have never wished I was his Juliet like this.’
  ‘And so have I!’
  Aziraphale, who was not so far from them, heard them and smiled at me. I smiled in return. I wasn't so sure I would do good, but it seemed like I did. I joined Aziraphale after the end, and saw Shakespeare running to us.
  ‘Stunning! Remarkable! Amazing! I had never seen such a beautiful interpretation!’ he greeted me. ‘How come you're not a comedian?’
  ‘It’s not really my thing,’ I lazily answered. ‘The show had to go on, that’s why I accepted, that’s all.’
  ‘Well, it certainly was incredible,’ said my angel.
  ‘Thanks.’
  ‘I have some struggle writing my new play, maybe you and your friend would help me?’
  We looked at each other. We didn’t have anything better to do anyways, so we accepted.
  ‘What will be the title?’
  ‘I was thinking about Macbeth.’