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[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Date: April 30th
Place: Raphael's room
Status: Private (Raphael, Aziraphale)
Summary: Aziraphale is a bit peeved that Raphael is here and didn't tell him.

Aziraphale found Room 110 easily enough, and he knocked on the door, tapping his foot in agitation.

Oh, he was going to let him have it.  There was no way that that silly, self-sacrificing mentor of his was going to get away with coming here, injured, and not telling him!

Comments

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael had downed his third cup of highly-caffeinated coffee. The nightmares had just been far too scary to deal with but unfortunately, he had no control over his subconscious while he slept. And thus began a battle between him and his corporation.

He wiped a smudge of spilt coffee from the page of the Composition Book he was using as a Journal, muttering something about his own clumsiness, when he heard a knock on the door. Looking up, he tried to sense who was on the other side but exhaustion combined with an already-weak presence meant his "sensing who was behind the door" abilities were a bit dim. He could sense the agitation and realized it must be somebody finally getting after him about those blood stains he had left all over the lobby and bar.

Well, he'd take it like a man. Time to own up.

Sliding his Journal and pen beneath his pillow he painfully swung his legs over the bed, grimacing at the pain that still lingered. Ugh... "I'm coming!" he called.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

"Thank you for informing me," Aziraphale replied dryly, tapping his fingers on his arm as he patiently waited.

Yes, he was going to make him regret this!

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale? His old mentee? The little blonde cherub he had plucked from the heavens and taken under his wing -literally, he used to cover him with a firey wing while the Healer would read to him... The Aziraphale that had such a thirst for knowledge he even owned a book store?

Grinning and completely forgetting his pain he threw on his work jeans and tank top (this one said 100% Angel in pink lettering with a kitten below it). It wasn't the best outfit, but he wasn't about to greet his old mentee in a bathrobe and his scrubs were... well, greeting him looking like the result of a butcher's handiwork would not do either.

Raking fingers through the strands that had come loose from his braid he grasped the doorknob and swung the door open.

"Aziraphale!"

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale resisted the urge to hug him, even though he had a bloody kitten on his shirt and what was cuter than an angel with a kitten? And he looked so happy... and he... he hadn't seen him in ages...

And...

"Oh you!" he exclaimed, moving forward and hugging Raphael - but not too tightly, given the stated he'd been in when he'd arrived. "What are you doing here! How could you not tell me you'd shown up! I haven't seen you in ages!"

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael wrapped his arms around the blonde angel, inhaling the scent of books and cocoa that could only be Aziraphale. He started purring, closing his dull green eyes and nuzzling into the blonde curls tickling his cheek.

"I'm afraid I haven't done much since I arrived," he admitted sheepishly, bringing his wings around to wrap around him (they itched like crazy, what with the feathers finally growing back) "I've been pretty much in my room, or down to the bar to get coffee." Which, he needed a refill of, but with Aziraphale here all sleepiness seemed to have skittered away like a demon in holy light and he felt wide-awake now.

"Shall we get something to eat?" he asked, not loosening his embrace. "We need to catch up!" 

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale continued to snuggle Raphael. "Why, of course we can get food. There's a nice little restaurant downstairs, or little places in town, or - does your room have a little kitchenette? I can even make you something! I do so enjoy cooking. It's up to you, dear, and how you feel. You needn't tax yourself; in fact, I absolutely insist you don't."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael peered around his room. "I don't have a kitchenette," he said. His cheeks colored slightly. "And I fear if I attempt to go too far I may not make it." It wouldn't be good, he decided, if his dear mentee were forced to drag him back to the Manor.

"Erm... Perhaps we can order in?" he suggested helpfully. "I do enjoy Chinese but it has been quite awhile since I've ordered Italian." It shouldn't take too much energy to send food there, once he divided it into equal parts.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale paused. "Well, I haven't done that in ages," he admitted. "I suppose that sounds like it could be nice. Do you know how to order in Italian? I've done take-out in the past and it's fairly easy, but that's Chinese."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"Then let's do take-out," he said cheerfully. He was flexible, China was a bit far but perhaps Aziraphale would be willing to help him make sure the warm food made it all the way over there. 

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael and Aziraphale had a lot of simularities. One being that they were equally stubborn. Raphael couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that someone else was taking their valuable time and energy to take care of him. And the fact that that someone happened to be his dear mentee well, it was like swallowing a porcupine.

"Dear, please..." he said kindly, gathering up the Principality in his arms and hugging him tightly. Soft gold curls brushed his cheek and he smiled, curling his firey wings around his pudgy form. "Still haven't lost that cherub fat, have you?" he chuckled affectionately, running unsteady fingers through soft white feathers, realizing the shaking had not ceased. Anemia, he diagnosed mentally, caused by severe blood loss. Need more iron, green vegetables... He sighed, it seemed there was no end to the human body's trouble.

Trying to switch off his "doctor mind" he turned his attention back to Aziraphale, combing wild blonde curls back. "Let's have some ice cream!" he grinned. "Chocolate, of course."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale stopped dead, staring at his mentor blankly.

Still haven't lost that cherub fat, have you?

... haven't lost that cherub fat...

... cherub fat...

... fat...

He had! Oh, it had taken such a long time, but being called old by Madame Tracy, and having that strange man call him large - without being able to see him! - oh those had finally inspired him, and he had tried so hard to lose the weight, and he thought he had, and in fact had opened himself up to the "female" jokes instead, and eventually he'd get sick of them too but for now... oh this wasn't right, oh this wasn't fair!

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

The gentle red-head noticed the distress in Aziraphale's aura and instantly became worried, feeling the negative energy against his own weak presence. It wasn't quite the same as when someone was angry, but it effected him nonetheless and since it was Aziraphale in distress he found himself aching for him.

Pulling back a little a blush crept across his cheeks. Oh! "Forgive me..." he smiled. "I suppose I still see that baby cherub with pinchable cheeks and such a hunger for knowledge it nearly surpassed my own. You used to climb up onto my lap and beg me to read to you, do you remember any of that?" He pulled him back into a hug, softly purring. "You've really grown, haven't you? You're not a baby cherub anymore. In fact, you look like you should be photographed for a magazine!" he laughed, pure truth shining in his dull green eyes. 

Then, after ruffling his blonde curls again he said quietly, "I've always been very pleased with you, Aziraphale."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

"Awwwww," said Aziraphale, now blushing and his brain reviving itself. "Thank you, dear." He patted him on the back, snuggling close, glowing with approval but of course not indulging in it because that would be Vain. "Now then, what were you saying about ice cream?"

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"We need to get some!" he purred. "I believe there's an ice cream shop down the block. I think I can get there without fainting but I'd have to walk slow." He snuggled his dear mentee, wrapping firey wings around him once more.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale thought about it. Surely a little rule-bending for an Archangel wouldn't hurt.

He miracled a wheelchair and, using the hug he'd gotten Raphael into, forced him into sitting. "There you are, dear. Ice cream it is!"

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"I appreciate it dear, but I'd much rather walk. I'd prefer if you'd miracle it to someone without legs." He rose to his feet, a bit stiffly, and curled an arm around his. "I'll just lean on you if I need to, but I'm fairly sure I can make it down the block if we walk slow." He was still smiling broadly, so happy was he to see his dear mentee.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale bit his lower lip. "All right, I suppose that is your decision to make, but please, please let me know if you need to sit down, all right?" He tried to make his eyes as pleading as possible. This was very, very important to him that e not make Raphael's precarious position somehow worse.

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"Delicious..." He swallowed another bite, enjoying the unique flavor. Oh it was wondeful. He could certainly get used to eating food.

"So tell me, dear..." He licked up some cookie on his lip. "Why the demonic residue in your aura? And don't try to shy away from the question, I've known you since before Time began and I know when you're hiding." He smiled at him, a twinkle in his dull green eyes.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale bit his lower lip. Which would be worse, confessing that his best friend was a demon, or admitting he was here because he was being stalked by a Crown?

The former. Definitely the former.

"You see," he admitted softly, "I'm not at the Manor for pleasure. Somehow I managed to offend Beelzebub, and so... for my safety..."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Raphael nearly choked on a bit of Oreo cookie. "Azi- why didnt you tell me? I could have..."

He stopped. Could have what, exactly? He was nearly killed by a Hellbeast, going against Beelzebub would have... Well, it would have reduced him to liquid angel for one.

"I'm sorry," he finally said. I'm sorry I cant protect you...

Some Archangel he was.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale shook his head. "Don't be sorry, my dear. My big mouth got me into trouble, and now I just have to deal with the consequences. And besides," he reminded him gently, "we've only just seen each other again, it's not as if I could have told you much sooner than now."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

"He must be stalking you pretty closely for it to be in your aura like that," he pointed out. "Have you talked to Michael or Gabriel about this?"

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale's smile was rather twisted. "Yes. Oh goodness me, yes. Sometimes I wish I had just let Beelzebub kill me as opposed to getting those two involved."

[halosphere.livejournal.com]

Suddenly Raphael no longer wanted his ice cream. Images of a Hellbeast and blood and claws and death surged through his mind. It was tearing Aziraphale apart, the young Principality screaming and screaming for him, reaching out with blood-slicked fingers but he can't help him he can't help him...

"I know how you feel," he said quietly, gaze shifting away from his mentee so he wouldn't see the pain in dull emerald eyes. He swallowed the dry lump in his throat. Gabriel and Michael had worried about him, were probably still worried... How could he have done this to them?

I should have let the Hellbeast kill me.

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale realised he had misspoken from the look on Raphael's face, and so he reached out and gently but firmly pressed the older angel's shoulders. "I was jesting, dear," he said softly. "The two of them are just fussing and arguing over how best to deal with my situation, that's all. I take it, however, that you know all too well how much they can fuss... My dear Raphael, can you please tell me what happened to you?"