lunchbreaks | inbox | in the night

It was attacking someone, was it not?

Have you asked that person what they think of the situation?

Where is the spirit? Perhaps I could help nurse it back to health.

[ He takes pause. ]

If you seek penance, Matt, you could help me. We could save the spirit, and perhaps that will be enough.

I don't have to, I know what she'd say.

( but Elektra is a bad influence and DOESN'T COUNT, OK )

I don't know where it is. Many of the spirits disappeared after the siren finally stopped. I couldn't track it, even if I wanted to, I've already looked.

I try not to pass judgment, Matt, but you were protecting someone. Sometimes people get carried away when they do so. It's natural.

Though, if you wish, I will still help you look for the spirit.

What was the siren? I don't believe I was close when it went off.

It happened before the newest arrivals. You weren't here, so it makes sense you don't remember.

( it also means he's that hung up on something that happened weeks ago, lol whoops. )

You don't need to responsible for what I confessed to you. ( Aziraphale, you are one weird priest, dude. Matt couldn't imagine Lantom offering to help him find a mobster he beat up for personal apologies, for example. ) I'll do what I can to find the spirit, but the damage is already done. I already chose anger over the path that he wants for me.

None of us know that, Matt. God has a plan for you, and this is only a part of it.

Are you doing something to work through your anger? Perhaps meditation or reflection would do some good. We are all very stressed. You do remember that we all died and wound up here.

I don't think you've done anything that can't be forgiven.

( well, that sounds more like Lantom, who was oddly pro-daredeviling. Matt has always struggled with the concept of a godly plan that involved being so distant from the heavenly vision the bible heralded, though he must be the way he is because God chose for him to be.

it's still hard to wrap his head around God wanting him to sin, even if there's some good to be had when he does. )

Not as long as I repent, I know. ( confessing is a part of finding forgiveness. he has to put aside his pride and admit what he's done if he hopes to be absolved of it. ) I wish his voice were more clear here. Why would he tempt us in this place where we are meant to find absolution?

I don't think God is watching.

[ At least, Heaven isn't. Otherwise, there's no way that they'd let Aziraphale live out his sentence with Crowley. And yet, he must draw his power from somewhere - Does that mean, then, that God still approves of him? That he is still a part of Her plan?

That's a lot to unpack. ]

But what is absolution if you cannot resist temptation? It isn't really a test then, is it?

[ Aziraphale knows though, if this is the case, then he will never go back. Because he doesn't regret what he did, and given the chance, he'd do it all over again. ]

Then who is?

( Purgatory isn't meant to be endless suffering. it's supposed to be a path toward something better, for souls willing to repent for the darkness they brought on their hearts. )

I suppose that's true. We need the will to choose, or it wouldn't mean anything. ( he had the will to choose... shame he chose to do the thing he wasn't supposed to, whoops!!! ) Usually my priest would give me some sort of penance, but I'm guessing you're not that type.

( you are one weird priest, Aziraphale... )

Yes, will is certainly a big part of it. And I don't know, I suppose no one. Perhaps God is watching, and it is we who are blind.

[ No, he still doesn't know Matt is blind so... whoops. ]

And I... suppose if it makes you feel better, you should try to speak to the spirits. I believe once we learn to communicate, it will make relations much smoother.

Is that alright, as far as penances go? I'm afraid I never give them, you know. I did tell you, I don't usually take confession. My dear, I'm not a priest.

[ AND THE BIGGEST WHOOPS ]

Well, at least I'm not the only one.

( HE'S GOT JOKES... but for real this is the 2nd time someone has mentioned blindness to him offhandedly, at some point he's gotta get sassy about it. )

I'll do what I can. ( it's more productive than a bunch of our fathers, so why wouldn't he give it a shot? besides we all know his ass gonna do a bunch of our fathers anyhow. )

I could gather that much. What office did you hold, something higher? ( he's very much not wrong on this, but Matt is thinking too small. like bishop or deacon. not an angel!! )

[ He totally misses this reference. ]

Yes, I think that would be most productive and honestly, I think we all are, my dear. In regards to God, at the very least.

[ He's gonna feel like total shit when he shows up to rebuild the church later. ]

I.

Suppose you could say I held a higher office.

[ Oh, he doesn't know how much longer he can keep this from Matt of all people, especially if his lies are going to need to be more and more elaborate. ]

Could you possibly keep a secret? And I think-- Yes, I think I'd prefer to tell you in person.

( it's fine, it will probably be pretty apparent within 10 seconds of meeting him..... .. . . . tho maybe not, Aziraphale hangs out w a dude that wears sunglasses all the time, it might seem normal to him!!! )

I can keep a secret. ( boy, can he... though he has to wonder why Aziraphale is asking. ) Besides, we have the seal of confession.

( wait, is that still a thing if Aziraphale isn't a priest? whoops!!! )

[ He's dumb sometimes but he ain't that dumb, don't worry, he'll figure it out. ]

Ah, well, yes, you are correct, though I'm not sure you have the obligation. Where are you? I'll come to you. It's not a large town.

[ Seal of confession is still a thing if you're confessing to an Angel! ]

I'm also a lawyer, as a breed we're rather tightlipped.

( a lawyer too loose with information wasn't a lawyer for very long. Aziraphale isn't his client and there's no court here but the POINT IS, he can keep secrets, and not just his own!!! )

The village, it's farther out than the other housing. I can meet you closer to the bonfire, just... name a place. I'm not good at giving directions.

( there's a reason for that....... wait for it )

How about Town Hall? There shouldn't be many people there at this time of day.

--And I never knew that about you. A lawyer. I suppose I should have guessed, though it hardly matters what occupations we had prior to being here.

[ Yeah yeah, he's gonna wait for it. He's also going to head out, barely remembering to lock the door. He doesn't know why he's so nervous, he's just not used to telling people. ]

( to be fair, what does a lawyer text or sound like?? probably difficult to guess he's a lawyer until he mentions it. which of course he does, bc Matt didn't pay for a Columbia education to not namedrop it all the time!!! )

I'll meet you there.

( though, considering he lives in the village, it might be more like Aziraphale will meet him there. oh well, he'll get there all the same, sunglasses and walking stick and all.

apparently you can't text like a lawyer, but Matt does still dress like one. and it's not been easy to find snazzy lawyer suits at the store, so button downs and ties is about as close as he can get. he does miss his nice tailored suits, but he has to make do. he is at least a little hesitant as he approaches, because giving a face to the struggles he admitted to is far more difficult than simply admitting them, but he's here all the same. )

Aziraphale? ( he tries, because he can tell someone is there, but honestly has no idea who it is. thankfully, a blind guy wondering if his company arrived before him is not weird at all, Matt doesn't have to admit he rightfully knows he isn't alone. )

[ Aziraphale never got texted by anyone, but he did get letters from several people pretending to be lawyers over the years, trying to accuse him of all sorts of things in order to chase him out of his prime spot in London, no doubt. So he assumes that's what lawyers are supposed to sound like over text.

I actually didn't realize this, but Aziraphale also lives in the village and now that he sees Matt coming and realizes he's blind, he feels very bad about not having said "just come over, here's my address." Still, it's a nice hall, and they're alone. ]

Matt.

[ He makes his way over and-- suddenly feels very sorry that he'd texted him all those things and that he'd casually said that they were all blind and -- oh God, he should really watch what he says. Swallowing a lump in his throat and clearing it, nevertheless, he recovers. ]

Could I shake your hand? It's lovely to meet you at last.

[ And now he's plagued with another problem - how will he get Matt to believe he's divine? With any other human he'd pop out the wings, maybe bust out the halo, do a little "let there be light," but those things were... rather visual. ]

( blind guys without superpowers can get around on their own, Aziraphale, you don't gotta feel bad!! especially considering this one has super senses and beats up poor traumatized spirits, he can get by just fine. no need to feel bad for him. he'll take horrid advantage of it if you do.

Matt adjusts his cane to his other hand and offers it. ) It's nice to meet you too. The devices aren't quite the same.

( and not because Matt's an old man that can't connect electronically, he just doesn't feel the same connection when a robotic voice monotones everything at him. it'd probably be a little different if he could actually read it on his own. there's a reason he prefers voice communications, fancy that! ) What is it you needed to tell me? We can do a walk and talk, if you like.

( it's a little less conspicuous than two guys hanging out in a dark room. )

[ Oh, Matt is definitely going to have to take advantage here. It's not that he thinks Matt isn't capable - of course he is, it's just. He'd hate to inconvenience him!

He does give Matt a good firm shake, even putting one of his hands over top of Matt's. He might already be gently guiding him. ]

Perhaps just to another room. It's just. I don't want any chance of anyone overhearing. Nothing nefarious, of course, I'm just. Used to it being a secret, after all, it has been for most of my life. But I-- trust you with this, and I feel like I ought not to keep it from you.

[ He opens a room and checks inside and yep, nothing in there but a thin layer of dust. He lets Matt in first and then closes the door, eyes shifting around making sure no one's followed them. Still a little nervous about how he's going to admit this, he nonetheless thinks this might be the easiest way to explain.

Suddenly, there's a sound of a great rustling of feathers, as two great big wings unfurl from Aziraphale's back. ]

Don't be alarmed, but I'm going to touch your hand and you're going to feel feathers.

It's-- it's just. Well, it's my wing. You can check, if you'd like.

[ Aziraphale's body is like anyone else's, but he's ethereally groomed, and there is a sort of radiant warmth in a halo around his head, not quite as strongly shining as he would like, but that clearly doesn't matter here. ]

( that does at least sound a little ominous, though Matt can track more than just the words and the handshake. there's no hesitation or uncertainty, no hint that there might be something he should be concerned about. so when Aziraphale more or less shepherds him into the next room, Matt follows.

he has no idea what he's done to gain trust, beyond admitting something personal and uncomfortable. it'll probably make more sense to him in a bit. )

You don't have to tell me anything you're not comfortable with, ( Matt reminds, though at this point he's pretty damn curious. he hears Aziraphale shuffling about, closing the door, and then the ridiculous rush of air and something soft and solid all at once. Matt can't help it, the noise is so sudden and unexpected he stiffens, glancing around the room as if somehow there's something else in there with them. he can't hear anything, but what else would explain—

he's stunned into silence when Aziraphale mentions taking his hand and has no words to protest. he allows him to take his hand and almost doesn't know what to make of the feathers he can feel under his touch, nor the undeniable disturbance in the air the wings make, even without moving. it takes him a bit to even say anything — Matt is trying to be accepting of magic and the ethereal, it's just a lot to take in when actually presented with. ) Why... why do you have wings?

( more to the point, why did Aziraphale feel compelled to tell him about them? Matt is a smart guy, that's a fact, but... he's genuinely too stunned to connect the obvious dots at the moment. )

[ Well, usually this is the part where he'd perform a small miracle or something, except that he'd rarely ever done this before.

He supposes that, should this not work out, he could always just have Matt believe this is all a dream, and then carry him back to the village and tuck him into bed. Would that work? Matt having a nap in the middle of the day. Ah, he'd have to throw in some persuasions that he'd been exhausted--

--But he's getting ahead of himself. No, he thinks, erasing someone's memories is really a rude thing to do. Deep breath in. Okay, Aziraphale, you can do this. ]

Well, that is because all angels have them, you see.

Mine aren't particularly special. In fact, I haven't groomed them for some time, you must pardon the mess.

[ He worries his hands together as he explains: ]

It's just. Quite a cruel charade, I think, to make you believe I'm ordained.

( Matt would have never implied Aziraphale's feathers to be out of order. in fact they're unbelievably fine and perfect, and while Matt hasn't touched a great deal of feathered creatures, the comparison doesn't even seem fair. he's brokenly stunned and marveling, wordless, for long enough to leave one worried he's in some sort of shock. )

A... an angel. ( Matt is incredibly well spoken and rarely finds himself speechless. this is really saying something that he doesn't exactly know what to say. he is a devout man, it is not that he doesn't believe in angels. he does, frightful and powerful and incomprehensible things, always at a distance from the tainted and failed remnants of humanity.

it doesn't make much sense that an angel would be in purgatory. it also makes no sense that an angel would behave like Aziraphale. Matt does not much know what to make of the suggestion, and part of him is reviled by the idea someone would try and play his own faith against him, and the other is quietly stunned by the reality he has no particular argument why this stranger has wings, plenty of theological knowledge, and doesn't give any obvious tells that he's lying or manipulating when he makes a bald-faced claim to be an angel.

Matt takes his hands away, suddenly, and they fidget at his sides anxiously instead. )

You never claimed to be, I just... misunderstood. ( he confessed something truly terrible to a literal angel. that's his life right now. ) You're quite the higher order, indeed.

--Ah, I wouldn't say that. I'm a pricipality, so. Not very high up the chain, I'm afraid.

I was-- demoted, actually, it's quite a long story, you probably already know it. Flaming sword, guarding Eden, sort of let a wily snake in... Complete accident, you see, but it turned out for the better, you know, because. Well. Humanity has done quite nicely for itself, if I must say.

[ No lies here. He is, however, only rambling a bit because clearly he's had this sort of bottled up for the last six thousand years and it's... It's so nice to finally let it all out, especially to a man of faith. ]

Am I-- I really don't mean to upset you, and I know you don't believe it was a lie but keeping the truth, I think, from you. I just couldn't anymore.

[ Does that make him cowardly? Maybe this was a bad idea. ]

--I'm sorry, is this too much?

I'd say any heirarchy of angel is a bit above priesthood. ( don't downplay your standing, Aziraphale, Matt is a mix of terrified and awed. and the tiniest bit doubtful and unsure he's actually awake right now, but, give him a break!! he's meeting an angel, this is a lot for his poor irish catholic heart!

where is his rosary when he NEEDS ONE...

it's one thing to be an angel, another entirely to imply you're the one that guarded the garden of Eden. Matt is trying to process and sort of failing. he takes off his sunglasses to rub at his face, shaking his head. ) I'm not upset, I just... it's a lot to take in. ( for all his life, his faith had been metaphysical. that's the whole thing about faith, right? you have to just believe, with nothing concrete to support it. with no answer from on high, no reassuring word that your faith was justified, no matter how badly you wanted one.

it's a lot to grapple with some kind of proof, right under your fingertips. Matt's too overwhelmed to try and create other potential solutions, like Aziraphale being a madman with wings trying to confuse him, in the moment it feels quite real.

and of course, the literal callout post with his name on it makes Matt grimace. if it's wrong to keep the truth from people, then he's been guilty of that since arrival, and note how he had no confession on that front. ) No. I'm just trying to understand. That's all.

Oh, well. Alright.

[ He doesn't know what to do in this situation, because it isn't really one he'd encountered before. Anyone he'd been tasked to give a vision of heavenliness to, of course, took it in stride. Usually became very promising, very celebrated religious figures, pillars of their community.

He wasn't supposed to tell Matt. ]

Suppose it is, you know, not the sort of thing you hear every day.

[ Which he knows for certain, since he's practically the only angel these days who deigns be on Earth for very long. Er, was. Retirement is really not sinking in with him. ]

But-- so you see, I can ask The Almighty to forgive you. But I have prayed for you, Matt. I just. Haven't been able to reach God.

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