John shut his eyes and silently counted to ten. He still hadn't got a straight answer, but he no longer needed one; Loki's evasions were answer enough.
"Anyone who might go after that kid isn't going to stop just because they think the other parent's an angel," he said, fighting to keep his voice level. "And that's not why you did it, is it, Loki? You've had a grudge against Crowley from day one. Well let me tell you about the bloke whose life you've just ruined.
"Crowley's the kind of guy who'll take a gift he was given and use it to buy back a soul and return it to the owner, no strings attached, and save another demon from damnation into the bargain, even though it might bring all Hell down on his head," he went on doggedly, starting to pace the attic floor. "The kind who'll fly all over bloody Ireland looking for someone he has every reason to throw to the dogs, just because he knows the stupid git is in trouble. He likes to talk tough, but he got kicked upstairs because he couldn't handle watching what they do to people in Hell. And on a personal note, he's saved my life, my sanity and my chance at salvation. And your little prank has just destroyed the one thing that's made his life bearable for the past six thousand years.
"And while we're on the subject," he added, breaking suddenly into a shout, "what the bleeding fuck did Aziraphale ever do to you? Or Uriel? Did you stop to think what it'll do to her when she finds out you used her and her baby that way?" He paused to get his voice under control and concluded in a low rasp, literally shaking with the effort of self-control, "For fuck's sake, Loki, there's millions of people in this world who richly deserve to get screwed over by a god of chaos. Why the hell did you have to pick on those three?"
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"Anyone who might go after that kid isn't going to stop just because they think the other parent's an angel," he said, fighting to keep his voice level. "And that's not why you did it, is it, Loki? You've had a grudge against Crowley from day one. Well let me tell you about the bloke whose life you've just ruined.
"Crowley's the kind of guy who'll take a gift he was given and use it to buy back a soul and return it to the owner, no strings attached, and save another demon from damnation into the bargain, even though it might bring all Hell down on his head," he went on doggedly, starting to pace the attic floor. "The kind who'll fly all over bloody Ireland looking for someone he has every reason to throw to the dogs, just because he knows the stupid git is in trouble. He likes to talk tough, but he got kicked upstairs because he couldn't handle watching what they do to people in Hell. And on a personal note, he's saved my life, my sanity and my chance at salvation. And your little prank has just destroyed the one thing that's made his life bearable for the past six thousand years.
"And while we're on the subject," he added, breaking suddenly into a shout, "what the bleeding fuck did Aziraphale ever do to you? Or Uriel? Did you stop to think what it'll do to her when she finds out you used her and her baby that way?" He paused to get his voice under control and concluded in a low rasp, literally shaking with the effort of self-control, "For fuck's sake, Loki, there's millions of people in this world who richly deserve to get screwed over by a god of chaos. Why the hell did you have to pick on those three?"