The phone rang, that noise right there irritated Doctor Ezra Fell, especially when he was examining lost creatures from ages past that had been found. Researching samples under his microscope, without his advancements in research and the discoveries of his endless efforts to preserve rather than destroy, the world would have gone into apocalypse ages ago. With a sigh the doctor reached over answering his phone with his ever pleasant ~Hello~, he really was far too kind to everyone, which tended to get him walked on or taken for granted, but he didn't mind much, it kept him in his lab and others away. Just the way he liked it, alone, with his snacks, his equipment, his quiet lab, and on occasion a nice glass of red wine.
The call was just as he had suspected nothing much, just that a physical specimen had been found, and the crew would be delivering it to him in a day. The only odd part was that a group was coming in to expand his lab with a glassed in caging area for him, today. When he asked for an explanation, none was truly given just an atypical, ~Wait and See, be ready.~ That bothered him more than anything, how could he possibly be prepared for something he didn't know about, he couldn't be. Ezra was put out, and it showed on his face as his bright blue eyes frowned, not a typical look for the doctor, he hadn't heard or realized that Anathema, an intern and ever helpful friend had stepped into his lab.
"Dr., what's wrong? I don't see that face very often; you look like a pouting angel." she smiled. Ezra jumped with a slight squeak leaving his chest, his hand going over his heart. "I swear by the almighty Anathema, you will be the death of me." he chuckled, catching his breath. "You are far to easy to spook Dr., how do you work on all these unknown creatures and have no problem is beyond me. Soooo I thought you could use a break, and I stopped in to see if you would like to get lunch? They are serving crepes today at the Bistro" That was all Ezra needed to hear, with a nod and a toss of his lab coat he followed Anathema out of the lab.
Ezra opened the door for Anathema to leave; a crew of people were already there, at HIS lab, and going in, never even asking if it was okay. Ezra watched as they brought in equipment, building supplies, cages with mid-sized animals? His confusion only became worse, his anxiety pulled on his grace, and Anathema felt his concern. Placing a gentle hand on his shoulder and slowly moving him away from the insanity that was hitting the lab, she knew how to keep him grounded. Ezra breathed again at her touch and looked at her; he smiled into her warm brown eyes. Anathemas hair was long, a beautiful soft brown color that looked like a flame in the sun. She always kept it neatly in a bun with tendrils reaching far below her shoulder blades.
Anathema was a lovely woman, Ezra liked her quite a bit, there was nothing he couldn't tell her, and there wasn't much he wouldn't do for his friend. She was one of the few that truly knew how he was, and at times when needed, she had filled in as a date for him. Ezra could never find anyone that matched his wit, matched his love of anything. They either wanted to control him, use him, hurt him, or didn't understand his love of science, his massive book collection, or just the eccentricity of him. Anathema, for all purposes, was his guardian angel, or as she liked to call herself, the Wicked Witch.
Grabbing his hand with a gentle tug, they walked out together, letting the government buildings fall behind them, walking out towards the green grass, the trees, anything but the cold cement of the buildings and basement where they both lived. Anathema had her bike, but Ezra looked at her and shook his head. "Walking m'dear girl." she laughed and caught up to his pace. Ezra wasn't a thin man, he was all muscle, with padding as he called it, Ezra was not by any means overweight, or unattractive, he just saw himself that way. Anathema always saw him as being angelic; if one were ever to see an angel, it would be him.
Hair pure white with a golden hue, when the sun touched it, it cast a halo around his head, his eyes bluer than the bluest ocean with hints of silver and gold particles sparkling like stars, his cheeks always a slight pink hue with full cupid doll lips. A smile never failed to be on his face; he loved everyone, and all the things he would find something good. Ezra was an angel in every aspect; it crushed her heart a bit to see him with no one; she knew he needed a good man in his life. There didn't seem to be any, and she was very protective of him, her angel, her best friend. They arrived together at the cute little bistro down the street and ordered crepes, only once a week they served them, and they were the best in town.
Together they sat, Ezra, making sure his area was perfectly placed, napkin, fork, knife, his plate and then, his delicious bounty of crepes, apple crepes to be exact, his absolute favorite. Anathema had her chocolate raspberry crepes, both inhaling deeply with a laugh, and then they dug in. "Going home after this Ezra?" he finished his bite with his eyes closed and a light, gratified sound. "Yes, not much I can do in my lab until they're done, that will just cause me anxiety watching them touching my, well my things." Anathema chuckled, "You mean doing their job, Ezra?" he frowned, "Well, yes, but still. My things..." shaking her head, she smiled at him.
They finished their bounty of crepes, gave each other a hug and a pleasant goodbye, and walked in opposite directions, Anathema heading for her bike and Ezra heading for his home, not much further than the bistro. He lived above what he called his library; it was the first floor of his house. Ezra had transformed the entire floor into a library; you could call it a bookshop if you wanted too. He had a desk, computer, loads of bookshelves built into the walls, and standing shelves lining the floor; every space had a book or multiple books stacked on them. A recliner and a couch were in a back room where Ezra kept his most wonderful wine stash; Ezra always had hoped to one day sit back there with a partner, having a glass of wine and talking for hours, maybe kissing on the couch, being told he was loved. Ezra knew he would never hear that Ezra didn't feel he was entitled to it, nor did he deserve it.
Climbing to the second floor, Ezra had a smallish kitchen, enough for himself, the bathroom with an overly large tub, bedroom with the plushest of beds, and his favorite tartan comforter. Even though sleeping was random at best, Ezra had another room for relaxing and looking out the windows that faced the stars more than anywhere else in his house. Ezra placed his jacket neatly on the couch, with a sigh he shrugged and walked into his bedroom sitting on the bed, he leaned back and fell asleep. Ezra had no idea how tired he was, but that was how his sleeping worked, no sleep for days, and then boom, sleep for eighteen hours and start over again. So sleeping this time was no different; even his work knew if he wasn't on time, he was getting much-needed sleep. They left him alone about it, seeing as the work he produced was awe-inspiring at a minimum.
Ezra dreamt that night, he hadn't wanted in ages and even when he did they were mundane, uninteresting, this was different. The moment was far too real for his liking, and it was dark, he could hear something slithering, fluttering, he could feel the fluttering as a breeze against his very body, felt the slither over and around his feet his legs. He could see nothing, he could smell, fire, smoke, then cinnamon, apples, he heard something, someone, it was a hiss at first, and also more clearly, it was his name, but his full name. "Azzzriaphale..." Ezra stopped using his full name when people couldn't pronounce it, his name was whispered again in his ear, his head whipped in the direction of the whisper, eyes of molten gold stared back at him. Ezra wasn't sure if he should run, but he couldn't those eyes held him there, just as he reached a hand towards them he woke up to a banging on his front door.
Quickly he ran down the stairs and flung open his door at the repeated banging. The director of his department, Gabriel, was there. Rubbing his eyes, he immediately started to apologize for his current state. "No time and no worry Dr. Fell, we need to get moving though, the specimen has arrived, and we need you to start your analysis and everything else you do now." Ezra nodded and grabbed his jacket, looking at Gabriel. He smirked at the new prospect..."Well, let's get a wiggle on!"