There's Only One You

Sandalphon bumped into a departing customer as he entered his usual coffee shop.

"Oh dear, I do apologize, I— Sandalphon?"

"Aziraphale? I was just..." he pointed to the door.

"You drink coffee?"

"And what if I do?"

"I wasn't passing judgement, I was merely surprised. I... It was nice seeing you." Aziraphale hurried away. He never seemed to want to spend any longer with Sandalphon than he had to, and after everything that happened, Sandalphon couldn't blame him.

When he entered, he wasn't met with much better company. The baristas sneered at him. It used to be easier to get humans to like him.

"He isn't here yet, is he?"

"No," replied the boy behind the counter.

"You know," said a young woman fixing drinks, "if you're so sure you could get someone else just like him, why don't you just let him go?"

"Tesss," hissed the boy behind the counter, obviously too timid to admit his guile.

"Excuse me?" asked Sandalphon.

"You heard me," said the young woman.

"Tess, stop it... We uh... well we just sorta happened to ask Will, why he's like so—"

"Whipped," interrupted Tess.

"Obedient," continued the boy, "And he said he didn't want to upset you, because you could just go get another him."

"You can't hold abuse over people's heads," said Tess pouring something into a blender. "Just because it was bad somewhere else doesn't mean it's automatically better with you."

Sandalphon huffed. He didn't like interacting with humans. "Can I get a hot cup of tea, and that iced fruity thing he gets to-go please?"

"Sure," said the boy. Tess rolled her eyes.

The door jingled, and in walked a demon, though you wouldn't know it to look at him. In public he wore his hair without any points suggesting a relation to rabbits, and his eyes only looked to humans like they had a thin line of eyeliner, rather than the blackhole suggesting his lack of a soul.

"We can't come here anymore," Sandalphon said lowly. Tess glared at him.

"Because of the angel that comes here?" asked the demon.

"You knew and you didn't tell me?"

"I only noticed him from a distance the other day, hadn't had a chance to mention it to you yet."

"I see."

"You think he knows we both come here? You think he'll tell someone?"

"No... no that's Aziraphale. Even if anyone would hear from him, it'd be awfully hypocritical of him to go tattling. I just don't want to run into him again. I value my privacy."

"Hot black tea, plain, and an iced berry green tea," said Tess putting the drink on the counter.

"Let's go," said the angel.

"Yes, Sandalphon," said the demon.

They picked up their drinks and turned to leave.

"See you around, Will," said the boy at the cash register. He and Tess gave the demon a look of pity.

They walked down the street in silence for a moment. It looked like it might rain.

"Why do the baristas think you're my slave or something?"

"I don't know. I said yes too many times? Humans always seem to be looking for something to be upset about."

"Sure, but they said that you said you're afraid to upset me. Like you don't think you can leave. Just because... Just because I got you out of hell doesn't mean you owe me anything. And trust me, that's not easy for me to say. I rather like holding debts."

"I know. Maybe we should have this conversation indoors."

"Humans are stupid."

The demon looked away so Sandalphon didn't see him roll his eyes. "I'm not concerned about anyone figuring out what we are, this just feels like an inside conversation."

Sandalphon's lips curled downward but he nodded. They approached a residential high rise, and the demon held the door open for Sandalphon. In the lobby on the way to the lift, a woman said hello.

"How are you two this afternoon?"

"My BROTHER and I are JUST FINE," said Sandalphon. The demon resisted putting a hand over his face. "If you'll excuse us, my BROTHER and I have some BUSINESS to attend to."

"Aw, that's nice," the woman said facetiously. "I've never seen siblings quite so close as you two. It's sweet really."

The demon glared at her, but it was light-hearted. Sandalphon didn't notice anything, and entered the lift without a word.

Once they were inside their flat and the door was shut behind them, Sandalphon's brother was full Bunny Demon once again, strangely long lower lashes and all.

It was a large open space flat. There were no rooms, and the bed could be seen from the door. The demon sad down on it and took off his shoes.

"Listen," said Sandalphon, "I'm not going to turn my back on you just because you don't feel the same about me as I do about you."

The demon gazed out the window as raindrops began to hit the glass. "That's not what I'm afraid of," he said, "But it's nice to know you feel something for me."

"What? What are you afraid of?"

"It's not that I think I'll end up back in Hell. No one's even noticed I'm gone. I just like you. And if I do or say something you don't like... If we aren't working out... Well there's plenty more where I came from."

Sandalphon leaned over the demon in such a way that made him feel like there was no escape, and nowhere to look but the angel's eyes. "I may see a thousand images of your face from here to hell and back, but none of them are you. I can't just run out and get another you. You're the only you."

The demon didn't know what to say so instead he kissed Sandalphon. When they broke apart, Sandalphon said, "Demon?"

"Yes?"

"You tell the humans your name is William?"

"What else am I going to tell them? My angel calls me Demon, but my friends call me Disposable."

"I wasn't saying it to admonish you. I was wondering if... If you might like me to call you William?"

"That... That would be quite nice actually."