Lower Tadfield Safehouse

In truth, Aziraphale had located Loki's name on the List of People He Oughtn't Even Bother With, directly below animal tormenters and right above people insistent on buying his books. As a result, he didn't bat an eyelash at the display of aggression, and he didn't feel the familiar pang of being disliked that he usually did.

But of course he had walked into a private conversation, and it wouldn't be fair to Gabriel to put him in the middle of an argument he had no part of, and so Aziraphale bit his tongue and held out the ribbon to Gabriel. "I saw this and thought of young Earl Grey - his eyes, specifically - and thought of how fetching he would look with it on. Would you like it?" He looked at the Loki-dragon square in the eye when he said, "I'll be on my way shortly."

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Gabriel sighed at Loki's growl and Aziraphael's tone. Evidently they hadn't made up yet.

"He would, although I hope he doesn't shred it first. Thank you," he accepted the ribbon, smiling. "Before you go on your way, though, don't you have something else to say?"

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Aziraphale figured that Gabriel wouldn't have said that had Gabriel not thought Aziraphale did, in fact, have something to say. He resisted his own sigh of disapproval before saying quite politely, "I apologize for interrupting your, ah, show-and-tell. If you'll excuse me...?" He turned to leave.

No need to drag this out more than strictly necessary. It was difficult to avoid the pseudo-Norse god when one walked out and stood next to him, after all.

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Gabriel raised an eyebrow. Show-and-tell? "I don't require an apology, but I believe you owe Loki one?"

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Loki sniffed the ribbon very cautiously. She didn't think the kitten would appreciate it much, but it didn't smell harmful. It certainly wasn't worth shifting back to inform Gabriel how girly ribbonss were.

So she just settled for swishing her tail casually in Aziraphale's direction.

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"That apology was to both of you. You were having a conversation, a show-and-tell of Mr. Loki's powers, and I apologize for interrupting it." He formally bowed to his superior and nodded his head to the dragon. "Hopefully Earl Grey doesn't protest the ribbon, but even if he does, it's not as if I'll be horribly offended. Kittens will be kittens."

The irksome part of all this was that usually Aziraphale could use "a lunch date" as an excuse, after which he would go find Crowley. Gabriel, who was apparently more inquisitive (and meddlesome Aziraphale noted sourly) than he had given him credit for, wouldn't accept such a thing.

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He really was good at evasion. Gabriel inclined his head. "Kittens will be kittens, indeed." And we are going to have a Talk about evasion soon, he thought.

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Loki turned her head towards Aziraphale and snorted. Setting another god on fire probably constituted a violation of the deal with Sister Mary and the mysterious Adam, but she was sorely tempted. Maybe she could fake a cough and claim it was an accident?

She didn't need or want an apology from the bossy little Judeo-Christian. She couldn't stand him and that was that.

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Aziraphale nodded again, and he could sense Gabriel's displeasure (not to mention Loki's, but that was hardly a surprise).

Honestly, what was with Gabriel's insistence that Aziraphale apologize to Loki? It wasn't as if the pseudo-Norse god would care about such a thing, nor as if Aziraphale was the only one in the wrong. The whole situation was absurd, trite, and worth no one's time. To be honest, from what very little conversation Loki and Aziraphale had had, Aziraphale didn't care whether Loki liked or even tolerated him at all. Aziraphale, after all, didn't like children, godlike or no.

"If you'll excuse me then," he demurred, turning to walk back into the Manor. He needed some tea to calm his nerves.

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Gabriel shrugged apologetically at Loki when Aziraphael walked away; he would have apologised for Aziraphael, but by now it was rather obvious that neither Loki nor Aziraphael even wanted an apology.

"Well, scaly kitten, I feel guilty for keeping you on the ground. Would you like to go flying?"

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Loki's head snapped back towards Gabriel in surprise. She hadn't considered flight at all until now. It drew attention and required a lot of strength so was best avoided.

It was tempting to stretch her wings again, but at the same time she felt too tired and comfortable. After a moment of consideration and a measuring glance at the sky, she shook her head at Gabriel, yawned in explanation and stretched out in the grass.

Maybe some more patting, a nice nap and then she'd change back to her human shape and read a book in her hammock. Yes, that sounded like a plan.

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Gabriel laughed. "Definitely a scaly cat. I think I see why you liked my cats so much. Birds of a feather."

He lightly scratched along Loki's snout, humming softly.

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