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[cattygabriel]

Date: April 11, 2003
Status: Public - Complete
Setting: Library
Summary: Gabriel is 'working'. Feel free to drop by.

There was a light rain outside, and the pitter-patter against the window formed a steady beat to the old Middle Eastern lullaby Gabriel was humming absent-mindedly as he worked. Davidson, Davidson, Davidson... ah, there it is. Now for Nostradamus. Odd man, Nostradamus, though quite amicable. 

He slid the last book into place on its shelf, and made his way back to his desk at the front of the library, picking up his copy* of Mansfield Park and flipping to his place. He pulled the bookmark out, leaned back and relaxed, burying himself in the utter impropriety of Fanny Price's relatives staging a play.

* Personal copy, autographed by Jane Austen herself and in pristine condition.

Comments

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

In the epic battle between Aziraphale's desire to not get chastised anymore versus his desire to read the library's collection, his desire to read won out, as it was bound to do eventually.

He crept into the library. Seeing Gabriel was busy reading, he steathily walked by, being sure to look as innocent as possible in case the elder angel saw him; no need to have Gabriel accuse him of avoidance...

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel turned a page, pausing when he felt the Presence of another angel nearby. He looked up and smiled.

"Hello, Aziraphael. I haven't seen you for a while. How have you been? And are you alright? You look odd."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Well, so much for that.

"Oh, sorry dear, I saw you were reading and didn't want to disturb you. I'm all right otherwise. How are you?"

[cattygabriel]

"Do you call everyone 'dear'?" Gabriel asked, amused. "Not that I mind, really, but I'm curious. And I'm fine, thank you for asking."

He studied the angel for a moment, thoughtfully. If his vague suspicions about the nightmare were correct, most, if not all, of the Manor's inhabitants would have been affected. "Apropos of nothing - Aziraphael, have you been having any... odd dreams recently? I apologise for keeping you from the books, but this is rather important."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

"Well, I make it a habit to not sleep," Aziraphale responded, deliberately ignoring the latest insult against his manner of speech, "but now that you've mentioned it, the last two times I've slept I've had nightmares, which I would consider to be odd, I suppose. Why? Do you suspect something amiss?"

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel frowned in thought. "You too, then? I've had a nightmare which segued into a very odd dream, that was more like someone else's. And the Lord of Dreams informed me that there was a problem with this place, which might affect the dreams of the inhabitants." He wasn't sure how much Aziraphael knew about the Dream Lord and his realm.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

"Er," said Aziraphale, "Well, if someone called the Lord of Dreams tells you about a dreaming problem, it sounds like he might know what he's talking about. Did he... offer any sort of suggestions for how to deal with this problem?"

Just wanted. To read.

Nothing is simple anymore these days. He sighed inwardly.

[angelofawesome.livejournal.com]

Michael was bored again. When in doubt, Gabriel was usually doing something that was easily interruptable.

He walked into the library, glancing around before smiling at the reading Gabriel. "Hey you, what's-"

He stopped. There was something off. Someone was here. Someone... ...

"Nerd," hissed Michael in disgust*.

* In much the same tone as the cast of Seinfeld used to refer to Newman.

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel looked up, smiling. "Hello, Michael. Did you get lost?" Michael standing in the library voluntarily; now that was something he hadn't thought he'd see.

He frowned at his friend's tone. "What?"

[angelofawesome.livejournal.com]

Michael glared as he looked around. "Nerd," he said again, trying to see where he was. "Book-reading, sword-losing nerd."

That sword had been great. The angel he'd given it to had had such potential! And then he lost it. Stupid nerd. He'd wanted to Fell him but had gotten cajoled into just demoting him from Cherub to Principality.

Well, if the Nerd was here now, then maybe a little vengeance could be sought...

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel sighed. "I presume you mean Aziraphael? Honestly, Michael, can't you just let it go?" Really, Michael's ability to hold on to one little mistake committed six millennia ago was remarkable. Hopefully he could draw the Warrior out of the library and Aziraphael would have sense enough to stay wherever he was.

"I read books as well, though I haven't lost my sword. What does that make me?"

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale's head perked up.

Oh no. OH NO.

[angelofawesome.livejournal.com]

Michael scowled deeply and looked around. The Nerd wasn't in sight range, at least. "That was a great sword. He lost it. And you're a sword-having nerd. There's a huge difference."

His fists clenched. "Apocalypse-stopping, sword-losing, book-reading Nerd."

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel blinked. Michael had just walked right past the demon; evidently his reminders of Adam's rule had worked. He was impressed by Baraq's politeness to Michael, too; it was more that he himself bothered with, that was for sure. "Hello, Barnaby."

[misterbkeele.livejournal.com]

Barnaby had taken an involuntary step back when Michael stalked off, but he collected himself quickly. "Gabriel," he said, nodding to him and Aziraphale, now that the latter was in view. "Did I interrupt something?"

[cattygabriel]

"No," Gabriel smiled. "Michael was just being his usual self. Were you looking for a book?"

[misterbkeele.livejournal.com]

"Nothing in particular," Barnaby said, who doubted the library had pulp sci-fi, the contents of which had science soft enough it could be spread on toast. "I simply wanted to browse -- unless I would be interrupting a private conversation?"

[cattygabriel]

"Not that I know of." Gabriel smiled at Aziraphale. "I'm sorry about Michael, Aziraphael, though I suppose it's a good thing if you're a little more prepared if Beelzebub decides to make his move when Michael and I aren't around."

He returned to his desk. "I'll leave you two to browse, then."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale gave a very, very relieved sigh when Michael walked off. "It's all right," he said to Gabriel before he walked back to his desk.

"He's not... so bad," he said lamely to Barnaby, "really, he's not. Just... very, very enthusiastic. And stubborn. He means well. Really." He gave Barnaby an apologetic look. "I'm glad he didn't smite you. And, honestly, quite surprised. If you see him again, just be polite and you oughtn't get in any trouble. He's usually congenial unless you hurt his pride somehow. I would know. I got demoted for it once."

New thread! :D

[cattygabriel]

Crowley again. Gabriel didn't mistrust the demon because he was a demon; he mistrusted him because Aziraphael had apparently spent so much time around him that the Principality's aura itself was becoming tainted, somehow. And there was the matter of his apparently trying to keep Aziraphael safe; Gabriel would have liked to believe that he truly cared for Aziraphael's safety, but he wanted to meet this Crowley first.

Re: New thread! :D

[misterbkeele.livejournal.com]

What Baraq thought about Crowley, he was keeping to his own counsel. His eyes, however, were trained on the pages of the book, and the tone of his voice was a little too light. "That's a pity. What do you think provoked this new silence, then?"

Re: New thread! :D

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale sighed, feeling a bit of an uncomfortable air in the conversation. "He's a lazy git is what it is," Aziraphale muttered. "Could be a sloth demons, I swear; I once had to wake him up after he slept through an entire century. Do all your lot have a Seven Deadly Sin that you associate with, or is it just a select few?"

Re: New thread! :D

[misterbkeele.livejournal.com]

"Well, the only sin I admit to is a middling-severe caffeine addiction," he said, turning a page. "Gluttony, perhaps, although that's become quite the unfashionable sin these days."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

"Ah. That's the one Crowley often accuses me of espousing," he admited, "although of course as an angel I am incapable of sinning."

He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Er, Barnaby dear, am I bothering you? I can always go find a book to read if you're interested in..." he tilted his head to see what Barnaby was reading, "... My Secret Life." He, despite himself, blushed.

[misterbkeele.livejournal.com]

He looked at Aziraphale blankly, looked down at the book, actually read the page it was open at, and dropped it on the table as if it was a large angry sea spider on fire.

"Not at all," he said a touch too brightly, wiping his hands on his trousers. "On the whole, I don't think I need any more nightmare fuel."