video; @crowley

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

This isn't London either.

[That much, it would seem, is completely obvious... but the young man on the screen isn't addressing his audience when he says it. He looks like he's just stepped out of the decontamination area after retrieving his belongings and more or less booking it away, and he doesn't look like he's impressed with any of this despite the dark sunglasses concealing his eyes.]

Look, this is getting ridiculous-- and don't tell me, people here haven't figured out a way to get the-- Somewhere back home either?

[He pulls in a breath, sharply and through his teeth, and grimaces.]

At least tell me there's a decent bar.

Comments

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

[He's super proud. Wow. So proud.]

Er.

[Crowley looks behind him. Just where is he, anyway?]

Just got here. Their introduction session could use some work.

[uptogood]

It's still an improvement from the City, I'd say. Let me see if I remember where that is.

[ It should just be back the way he came, but he wouldn't be surprised if he managed to get lost anyway. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

[Crowley makes a disgruntled sound - one that he doesn't quite mean to let out but escapes anyway - and plants his back firmly against the nearest wall.]

Have you been here for weeks without me again?

[uptogood]

Oh, no! I only just arrived too. I'm still on the same floor, I think.

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Okay-- Okay, good. Can you get back here?

[Maybe quickly? Because he doesn't like this at all.]

[uptogood]

[ Something about Crowley's tone is very worrying, and Aziraphale frowns slightly before he picks up the pace. Surely, if he just keeps walking this way, he'll get there. ]

Yes, I'm coming.

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Great.

[He grinds the word out through what sounds like gritted teeth, and hangs up. When he finally hears the unmistakable noise of Aziraphale's footsteps there's no word to quite describe the specific sense of relief in any language that's still spoken.

Crowley makes a beeline for the familiar footfalls, meeting the angel half way.]

There you are. [Don't mind him reaching out for your hand, angel. There's nothing at all to be read into that.]

[uptogood]

[ It's not like it's strange for Crowley to reach out like that. That is not, in fact, what makes Aziraphale worry, because he already was worried. He takes the hand, gives it a gentle squeeze, then moves to stand in front of Crowley and take his other hand. ]

What's wrong, dear?

[ He can tell there's something. No point trying to hide it. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

What's wrong?

[Oh, he's been doing such a good job of holding it together, but now he gestures grandly at their surroundings. The glass dome. The reddened landscape outside it.]

We're not supposed to be here.

[uptogood]

[ Oh, Crowley. His sweet demon.

Aziraphale isn't certain whether Crowley means London or the City. London is where they will have to return to eventually, and he knows they both want to, but they'd also started to create a home in the City and it hurts a little to lose it. Either way, it seems Crowley is more upset by it than Aziraphale is. He still looks sympathetic as frees his hand to reach up and cup both Crowley's cheeks. Fingers curling at the nape of his neck to gently tug him down, so he can press a lingering kiss to his forehead. ]

I know.

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

[Crowley had never felt truly settled in that City. Something about it crept under his skin like an itch and he had never been able to quite get rid of it. Had he been alone there, he might have--

Well, he hadn't been alone, and he was really better off for it.

He lets Aziraphale pull him down, his sunglasses sliding a little way down the bridge of his nose when he bows his head.]

Mmph. [Says Crowley, letting his eyes dip half closed for a moment.] Did anything in that video make any sense to you?

[uptogood]

Yes, I think so.

[ Let him just readjust those sunglasses. And brush off Crowley's shoulders. And straighten his jacket. Fussy. ]

But I think it's ... old. Outdated. It made it sound like this should be a thriving city, but there's no one here.

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Mm.

[He watches Aziraphale fondly while the angel spruces him up. It's nice to be able to just be close enough to touch like this without having to worry that someone else might see.]

Should we have a look around?

[uptogood]

Yes, I think that's a good idea. See if we can find someone else.

[ He reaches for Crowley's hand, before he starts to keep going down the way he'd already started. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

[The demon doesn't hesitate in lacing his fingers through Aziraphale's, giving his hand a little squeeze as they start to walk.]

How far did you get? Find anything interesting?

[uptogood]

Not particularly, but I think this is a sort of maintenance area. Only most of it seems to be inoperable.

[ Not that he's tried very hard. It's all more technologically advanced than he can really comprehend. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Oh, yeah, that's a good way to welcome someone into a place. 'Here's the maintenance section, have fun finding your way out'.

[Crowley, too, is somewhat perplexed by the sheer level of technology around them.]

Feels like there should be more people here. Kind of spooky.

[uptogood]

I think there used to be. I wonder what happened to them.

[ Makes him uneasy. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

... Not sure if I want to know.

[It's a huge place, and something doesn't feel quite right about it... but that could just be his paranoia talking.]

Let's just... stick together, yeah?

[uptogood]

Of course. I'm not going anywhere.

[ It's all right. They're together, so they'll be all right. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

I'm going to hold you to that, you know.

[Crowley casts a wary look his way, and then a crooked smile as a break of light through the clouds.]

I will.

[uptogood]

I have no doubt.

[ Crowley has always done that, in matters both big and small. Always ensured that Aziraphale holds himself to his own words. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

[The demon smiles slightly, but it looks like an expression more forced to reassure himself than to do anything for the angel. He gives a little shudder.]

At least that funny feeling is gone. That city made my scales stand on end.

[uptogood]

It was unpleasant, wasn't it? But I did rather like the home we were building.

[ Hopefully there's a library or bookshops here, since it looks like he'll have to start over with his collection again. ]

[saunteredvaguelydownwards]

Mm. Pity about the plants.

[He means that with more feeling that it seems. His collection in London had been one thing, but the small number of them that he had begun to amass in that place had mostly been bought for him by Aziraphale, and that meant far more.]

And your books.