Lots of things happen: someone gets a new power, some new meetings, some plans of vacations ;P
Chapter VII: A missing gift
London, Soho, Greek Street, 7 April 2006
While a newborn couple sleeps tenderly embraced in a suite in New York, someone who hasn't slept all night is about to break into a specific bookstore.
The front door is closed, with a sign hanging politely inviting visitors to return at the indicated times, but for its demonic fingers that snap this is by no means an obstacle.
Without any problems, Crowley sets off for the shop, as if it were his own home… in a certain sense it's a bit like that.
He arrives at the counter where Aziraphale usually issues his few, very few annual receipts, with a rusty 1950s-style cash register with a very uncomfortable crank to turn.
For at least twenty years, if not more, technicians have put more practical digital recorders on the market, but the angel seems indifferent to that.
And that's exactly how Crowley finds him, asleep next to that antiquated instrument, with his head buried in a book he was probably reading, with a very slight snore.
Crowley at first looks at him tenderly, then he grows nervous.
- How the heaven do you dare to find a book a more comfortable bed than me, angel? On my chest you would rest a thousand times better, when I'm naked I am even warmer and cosier. - he ponders, annoyed.
He remembers why he is there and does not hesitate to wake the angel. He had initially planned a more tender way to do it, perhaps even finding an excuse to pet and pamper him a bit, but after that insult he has to revise his plans.
He snaps his fingers and the cash drawer comes out with an annoying trill, just missing Aziraphale's cheek.
The effect is immediate.
The blond wakes up with a start, a little dazed.
"It is not for sale!" he grumbles, not quite lucid yet.
The redhead laughs amused.
"Oh, Crowley, it's you ..." Aziraphale focuses, coming to other conclusions.
Falling asleep on that book led him to be all disheveled, with the marks of the folded pages on his face, in addition to the stains from the cup of chocolate he drank the night before which he spilled, causing the last drops to end up on his waistcoat. .
- Oh, good heavens, I'm unwatchable! - he thinks, desperate, trying to fix his indomitable curls and smooth out his face by lightly patting himself on the chubby cheeks.
- For Hell's sake, he couldn't be more adorable! - Crowley thinks, looking at him spellbound, but then he remembers why he is there.
"Listen, we had said one power each, how is it that your protégé in addition to super strength can also jump unnaturally and heal a little faster than the human kind?" he immediately corners Aziraphale.
"And how do you know?" Aziraphale's eyes widen.
- Oh fuck, that's right. How do I know? 'Oh, well, because your assistant directly told my assistant… while they were making out hard?' Of course I can't tell him that! - Crowley gets upset at first.
Then he takes a closer look at Aziraphale's guilty expression.
- No, wait a moment .. look at him, how scared he is, with his tails between his legs .. do angels have tails? Oh, that's not the point! The fact is that it's me who is gaining the upper hand - he regains his usual self-confidence.
"How I know it's not your holy business, I have my sources!" he mysteriously reaffirms.
"Well the rule was one power each, as agreed, but nothing prevents me from equipping my protégé with some ... ehmm ... life jackets!" the angel looks for a way out, pretending to be innocent.
"It's two and a half special powers, life jackets, my ass!" the demon snaps.
"Come on, dear, don't do that!" the blond tries to get close to him.
"Don't usssse your 'dear' with me, not thisss time!" the redhead hisses. "And that's okay, indeed, and it's bad, angel, if you play dirty I'll do it as well!" he warns him, storming out of the library with the door slammed soundly, a human way that emphasized the moment.
New York, 16 E. 32nd St, Avalon Hotel, April 8, 2006
"Tell me about the relationship with your sister," Kevin asks affably, sitting on the comfortable velvet sofa, absently taking notes, his eyes falling on the large window overlooking the street.
With a power like his, he doesn't even need to make his patient relax before she starts talking to him about every aspect she recalls.
Kevin takes notes of the most salient details that can help him formulate his analysis, when he notices that among the furnishing accessories there is an unexpected one, living, with showy red hair and the air of someone who does not want to wait at all.
Kevin has accumulated enough experience to understand that he is the only one who can see him.
"Mrs. Bricks, I'm sorry if I interrupt you. We will resume the session later, now it's good if we both take a short break, " he runs for cover. "Don't worry, we'll track down the triggering cause of your kleptomania, if you want to loot whatever you like, go ahead, as long as you keep far away from my bag!" he commands, walking out, followed by Crowley.
"What do you have so urgent to tell me?" Kevin asks, taking advantage of the fact that the corridor is deserted.
It would certainly not help his reputation as a psychologist if someone caught him talking to... himself.
"You're right, I thought about it, a whole day, and I came to the conclusion that you should have an extra power too… to try and balance things. Consider it a missing gift from me. " the demon replies .
"That's what I was telling you, so ... are you going to make me able to freeze the time?" Kevin gets thrilled.
"Shut up, you, eager boy, I choose what to give you ... how about a certain flexibility with people's memory?" Crowley relaunches.
"What do you mean with 'flexibility'?" the persuader grows curious.
"You can erase the total memory of a person, or just a part or even just a single reminiscence and you can decide for how long: an hour, twelve hours, twelve days ... forever!" the demon clarifies.
"Oooh, this is so interesting. Doctor Thompson might help some of his patients to get rid of their trauma this way. "
Just three days with Jessica and that's the influence she already has on him.
Crowley looks at him dazed.
"But that would be something… good. I guess Killgrave is the only one who must use it," he corrects himself immediately after.
"I may not have heard you ... and I don't want to know anything about it!" Crowley throws his hands up.
"Can I also create new memories in my victims' mind?" his protégé dares to ask.
"But you are never satisfied! NO, we didn''t talk about it, just erase the bloody memories, it seems an already generous enough gift to me! " the demon hisses.
"Oh yes it is, I accept!" the other nods impatiently.
Crowley snaps his fingers and Kevin feels a new energy flooding him.
"Have fun, Doctor Memory!" Crowley winks "Hey, not bad for a new supervillain name!" giggles.
"Don't even try, Killgrave can't be touched!" the younger one retorts stubbornly.
"I knew you would say that." the millennial demon shrugs, before disappearing.
Kevin returns to his patient, but immediately catches sight of the woman's bag overflowing with all sorts of expensive furnishings in the hotel room.
- I wanted to test my new power and make her get rid of her problem, but… it's too much fun; I'll do it in a couple of sessions, maybe three. - he sneers.
New York, Minton's Playhouse, Harlem, 206 W 118th Street, April 26, 2006
"Kevin, you won't like this, and neither will I, but we have to do it." Jessica says, biting her bottom lip.
They are seated at the table of what has now become their meeting point par excellence.
Of course, Kevin risked losing his life there, but what he gained in return makes him see that bar with different eyes.
In addition to the sentimental sphere, of course, Jessica loves that place because they make great cocktails and, thanks to who is now her boyfriend, it's never a problem to get them.
The two boys never stopped seeing each other and when this was not possible they found themselves engaged in long, passionate conversations on the phone.
"I like things the way they are ..." Kevin mumbles, drinking his dry Martini.
"Me too, but I've been making all sorts of excuses for three weeks and I can't go on like this anymore: Trish wants to meet you." she warns him, nervously fiddling with the straw of her strawberry Caipiroska.
"Oh, well, I'm glad if you want to involve me in your family." he smiles at her, holding her hand.
She returns that smile, but then she darkens.
"Let's say I've talked to her a lot about you ... maybe hiding a certain aspect." reveals to him.
He quickly realizes what she is referring to and lets go of her hand.
"Oh, of course, you are ashamed of me!" he blurts out, insulted.
A moment later, Jessica is sitting on his lap, her hands cupping his face, oblivious to whoever is watching them.
"Don't you ever dare to think such a thing!" she almost growls, before kissing him, quickly but deeply.
"Truth is thatI want to protect you. You have no idea how many questions Trish asked me when she found out about my powers. And even though she has a promising acting career ahead of her, she has got it into her head that sooner or later she wants to start having a talk show… do you have any idea of the spotlight she might put on you? " she murmurs, hugging him.
"That's very sweet of you," he softens, stroking her hair. "But fear not for me, I have strong shoulders ... not as strong as yours maybe, but still." he snatches a smile from her.
"Besides, she doesn't necessarily want to make a scoop out of you. Let's give her a chance. If you don't have too many evil deeds to carry out, I would schedule the meeting for tomorrow night. " she decides.
"I'll try to carve out a space from my evil agenda." he plays her same game. "Also because I certainly can't miss the opportunity to meet Patsy!" he lights up with enthusiasm.
"Are you his fan?" she frowns.
"Who isn't?" is his answer.
"I don't know if I still want to organize that meeting ..." Jessica mumbles.
"You see, actually my diabolical plan has always been to get to her, through you ..." Kevin enjoys riding the wave of his girlfriend's jealousy. "Ouch!" he chuckles at the light punch she just gave him on the shoulder.
"You, silly! Change this fucking topic now, otherwise the next punch I give you will serve to test how strong your shoulders really are! " she threatens him, but he erases any jealousy with a kiss that leaves no room for any doubt.
New York, 389 Upper East side 89th Street, 27 April 2006
"... so now he's downstairs waiting." Jessica finishes her tale, sitting in her sister's living room.
"But it is magnificent! Why didn't you bring him with you here? " the blonde asks her impatiently, trying to figure out if she can peek at him through the video intercom, but she has no luck.
"The point is, I haven't told you everything about him." the brunette mumbles.
"He is a brilliant psychologist, he makes you happy ... what else do you have to tell me?" the other smiles.
"Do you remember when I told you how I discovered that just as I am an angel's assistant and I am active for Good, there is a counterpart in the service of Evil?"
"Yes, but what's that got to do with your boyfriend now?" Trish chuckles. "I could understand if Kevin was the counterpart, but ..."
In Jessica's guilty gaze, the sister reads every truth.
"Jessica, you can't be serious! You're dating a multiple murderer who with his super strength must have already destroyed God only knows how many lives! " she grows alarmed.
"You're exaggerating, he doesn't have any super destructive strength and he's not the one doing evil deeds, he makes people do that, because his power is to manipulate people's mind." the brunette reveals.
"Alright! So it's more than evident that he is controlling you, too, probably from the first time you met him!" the blonde hisses sourly.
"It's not like that, you have to believe me, he promised me he'll never control me and I don't even need to believe him, I just know. Please don't consider him a heartless monster, you don't know what he's been through, what his story is. Maybe he'll tell you if he wants to, but, please, believe me, I know what I'm doing. " Jessica looks at her seriously.
"I've never seen you so into someone. Counterparty or not, he must be really special. " Trish states.
"Trust me, he is." the brunette smiles.
"And you didn't even say a dirty word. It must be really serious. " the ownder of the house makes her laugh. "Okay, I'll open it, tell him he can go upstairs." she approves, with Jessica texting her boyfriend to join them.
And when he does, Trish first has to acknowledge that her sister has great aesthetic taste, but then she remembers what he is capable of and her friendly expression becomes wary.
"I do not like you." she snarls, crossing her arms over her chest.
"That's not true, you like me." Kevin promptly retorts, slyly.
"I like you!" the blonde smiles at him dazedly.
But Jessica is more than ready to intervene.
"Hey! You, damn shrink, take it back! Trish is my sister, whatever you do to her you do to me too. " she specifies, on the warpath. "If you don't control me, then you shouldn't control her either."
"You are making a few too many requests, my darling." Kevin rolls his eyes. "Okay, okay. Patsy, feel free to have any kind of feeling you want to have towards me. " he re-elaborates his requests.
"Hey! Now I like you even less than before! " Trish snaps, putting herself on the defensive.
"Oh really?" Kevin scrutinizes her thoroughly. "Think about it, I might as well have made you and Jessica forget that you don't like me; instead I listened to Jess, canceled my previous order and didn't even make you forget anything about it." he summarizes with meticulousness.
Trish closes in a moment of reflection.
"You're right, Kevin, maybe you're not that bad ..." the blonde changes her mind, making him smile.
Jessica smiles with satisfaction, too.
London, St. James' Park, 08 May 2006
"Angel, why did you want to see me. Do you have news of Armageddon? " Crowley asks furtively, approaching the blond as he feeds the ducks.
"Uh no, among my people there is no information about it, yet," replies the angel.
"Neither from my people, not that I'm in any hurry, if it depended on me it might not arrive at all!" the demon shrugs .
"Wiser words have never been spoken, my dear. But unfortunately it won't be like that and we have to be ready. " Aziraphale murmurs. "Anyway, I mostly wanted to say hello. I'm about to leave. "
"And where are you going? Another mission? " the redhead looks at him curiously.
"Not exactly. In a few days it's my protégé's birthday and I will take the opportunity to visit her for some time in New York. " explains the blond. "I'm leaving in two days, but maybe I shouldn't say hello to you if, if ... you were coming with me?" he stumbles on the last words.
"To come with you?" Crowley repeats.
"Well yes, have you ever been to New York? Maybe to help your protege? " Aziraphale asks him, curious.
"NGK! Nooo, my protege has never been to New York! " Crowley hastens to point out.
- Forgive me, angel! I hate lying to you. - he would like to bite his forked tongue.
"Oh, well,this is one more reason, then, you could visit it with me, we would be tourists ... a bit like humans ... maybe just a few miracles to skip hours in a row!" the angel begins to press the right buttons.
"Oh yes, I'd love to. I have nothing to keep me busy here, so ... let's do it! " the demon enthusiastically approves.
- Angel, even if you asked me to visit a gutter, in your company I would find it the most beautiful place in the world. - Crowley thinks, too happy to notice how sweet he actually is.
"Really, do you agree? It's fantastic!" Aziraphale rejoices, with such an impetus that instead of a few crumbs he ends up throwing the whole bag into the pond.
"We are practically already in the crown of the Statue of Liberty!" Crowley grins.
"Sure, and there are so many things to do. We can visit the Museum of Natural History, the MOMA, the MET… "
The enthusiasm of the demon dies, replaced by a bored look.
"Angel ... look, you are supposed to convince me!" he points out, snorting.
"But didn't I already convince you?" Aziraphale retorts. "Oh, well, do you know that there is perhaps the largest M&M's store there? And also a place where you can create custom stuffed animals, usually they are teddy bears… but, who knows, it could also be a duck! "
Definitely, when it comes to Crowley, Aziraphale knows how to hit the right buttons, not to mention all the research he has done to find something that can thrill the demon.
"Why didn't you say that before? Let's go there now! " the redhead rejoices, taking him by the hand, ready to snap his fingers.
"No, I said in two days, first I have to fix the bookcase."
"But if you have two clients when they are too many!" the other mocks him.
"That's not a good reason to let it go to decay. I have to cast protection spells at my books, one by one and indeed… in two we could do it first… "Aziraphale looks at him almost menacingly.
"What?! No, get it out of your head! I have better things to do than spend two days among your dusty bookshelves! " Crowley objects, but this obviously is a feigned grumpiness.
- Two more days with my angel before a full vacation with my angel! - he gloats inwardly.
"Wouldn't you change your mind if I offered you an evening with the best wines from my reserve?" Aziraphale makes another smart attempt.
He wants to have the demon with him at any cost.
- Alcoholic evening with my angel! - Crowley rejoices.
"Deal!" Crowley grins.
"Great." Aziraphale claps his hands. "So we can better discuss our vacation and draw up a plan on how to fill the days. In Manhattan there are so many good musicals ... "
"Dare take me to see ' The Sound of Music ' and I'll never talk to you anymore, angel! " the demon growls.
(End I)
Notes:More to come, stay tuned ;P
Hope you'll like it, whatever you think, pleease, take a minute of your time to let me know ^^
Hugs
Lu'