(no subject)

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Date: February 6th, 2001
Setting: Manor lobby
Status: Public! [Complete]
Summary: Well, he had been invited....

The letter had begun Dear Berith...

No one had ever addressed a letter to him that way in his entire existance.

That said, he had become rather - fond? Was that the right word? Perhaps... - of the angel, and was perturbed at his leaving. Though he had noticed that Aziraphale was dreadfully distracted during their last supper in London. He had thought to ask what was wrong, but the angel did tend to speak what was on his mind, and so he had to assume that if Aziraphale did not bring it up, it was none of his business. The letter had startled him, surely, but it had at least shed some light on the situation.

Aziraphale had been longing for home, from what he gathered. It still did little to help him understand, as Berith had never been homesick in that sense. He found it hard to be tied to the earth. It was too changeable. Nevertheless, with the angel gone, his purpose for being in London was forfeit, and 'Lower Tadfield' sounded as good a place to be as any.

Getting there by train had been simple and the ride was enjoyable. He found the Manor without much difficulty, though he felt a strange sense of vertigo looking at it. There was great power in this place, it burned with it. And Berith was certain that he knew some of it, but he could not be certain of how, precisely....

It was not until he had stepped into the lobby that he felt his primal, protective senses go on high alert, something ancient within him raising its hackles and recoiling in pain. The vertigo warped into a sickening case of the spins, and he covered his eyes with one hand to try and stop the name from spelling out under his eyelids -

What in the name of the Ninth Circle was Justice doing here?

Berith turned on one heel with all intention of leaving immediately....

Comments

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

It had been a while since Adam had greeted a new demon to the Manor. Last Christmas when Beelzebub had arrived, wasn't it? He squirmed slightly, hoping this time wouldn't be like that one, and hurried down the stairs.

No, not like that time. Berith. Fighting to ignore the demon's broadcasting anxiety, Adam asked his retreating back, "You all right?"

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

It was like an electric current up his spine. Oh fuck.

The one presence had blinded him so thoroughly that he had not noticed... this.

Spinning back around with wide would-be bright eyes, he attempted to diffuse his own confusion by smiling politely and clapping his hands together. "Oh yes. Absolutely fine, of course. You're, er...." the bleeding Anitchrist, "in charge around here?"

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, pretty much. I'm Adam. Nice to meet ya, Berith." He smiled sweetly. "It's a bit silly to say you're fine when you're not, though..."

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Berith twitched slightly when his name was spoken. Of course, it wasn't as though he hadn't know that the Antichrist would know who he was, but knowing it in theory and then seeing it in practice were two very different things. Still, his veneer had not failed him just yet, and his auto-responses did not seem affected: "The pleasure's mine."

Oh, that smile. Equally unnerving as his father's, though in an entirely different way. He wondered if there was some sort of protocol he should follow at this point? But Adam did not seem to be expecting something from him. "I apologize; living in Hell makes one disinclined to let others know when one is out of sorts, I suppose."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"I 'spect that's true," Adam said. Actually, so far as he could tell, living in Hell made people inclined to be out of sorts and share that with all and sundry, but he wanted to be agreeable for the moment.

"You're not there anymore, though. I'm sorry this is hard for you, but if you need anythin', you jus' let me know." It was a fine line between being friendly and letting the other know in no uncertain terms who was in charge, but the boy handled it well.

"Welcome to Tadfield Manor. If you're plannin' on stayin' for a while, we should get you a room..."

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Quite honestly, it was unbelievable. He was standing in the middle of a lobby having a seemingly casual conversation with the boss' son while he was wandering around somewhere nearby. The next time he saw Aziraphale that angel was sure to get an earful on 'giving proper warning'.

"No, you're quite correct, I'm not," Berith agreed somewhat cagily. Hard for him? No, no, that was not it at all, he merely.... "I was in London actually, and was invited here by an angel I believe you have in residence. Aziraphale? Blonde hair, glasses he doesn't have need for, seems overly fond of tweed?" He had no way of knowing how well Adam knew him, of course.

As for who was in charge, there was never really any doubt. Berith just hoped he exercised it in a more kindly fashion than his parentage would have it.

"A room? Really?" He managed to quirk an eyebrow at that. "So this is a genuine establishment, not some covert operation for smuggling heavenly heroine?" He might have laughed, but he was certain it would come out too nervous. He had not come prepared for this. "Very well, a room, I suppose."

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I've known Aziraphale a long time," explained Adam. Aziraphale had invited Berith to the Manor? That was interesting... "He's been back 'bout a week now."

The boy moved behind the desk. "Dunno what you mean by all that, but it is a hotel. Lots of people live here - angels, demons, gods, wizards, personifications, and my friends." It probably wasn't intended as a threat. More of a warning, really. For his own sake. So he won't be surprised. "But no matter who you meet, the rules say you can't hurt 'em or you've gotta leave."

Looking at the book, he went on, "I got a room on the third floor that you can have."

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

So Aziraphale had known Adam well enough, and just not bothered discussing it. He certainly had to give the angel points for secrecy. It sounded like something he might do. "Yes, I know. I saw him right before he left. We had been working at cross-purposes in the city, and I saw him frequently while he was there." For some reason he felt that he should explain the relationship to the boy. Almost as though he felt a test in this conversation, which was probably his startled imagination playing tricks on him.

Okay, no jokes with the Antichrist. Right. He started fiddling with a cufflink, which had come undone because he had decided it would. He needed to do something with his hands. The edges of his sleeve turned gold as he did it; that happened sometimes when he got anxious. Really, the other beings did not concern him in the slightest, as the theoretical prospect of Adam was far more worrisome. "I had noticed many of the energy signatures," he confessed lightly. "Do people normally get hurt here, for you to make that warning?" It was a strange thing for him to say, surely.

He nodded in regard to the room. "That should do." He stopped himself in time, though. "Er, can I ask who my neighbors are?"

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

Adam nodded to show that he understood. "Aziraphale does seem to get 'long with demons more'n most angels."

The boy wasn't against jokes. He just preferred simpler ones, like 'why was the elephant wearing a green felt hat?'* Reality was so fluid that it was hard enough to keep track of what was really going on without introducing whole new alternatives.

"More often than I like," Adam admitted. "I try to give people free will, but sometimes they take it too far and then I hafta step in. But it's only fair that I tell everyone up front what's allowed and what's not, so that's why I did."

He peered at the log again. "You're between Wensleydale an' Kit Ryan. They're both real quiet."

*So he could sneak across the billiard table unnoticed.

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

The balance of the conversation seemed to shift just there, and Berith could feel his lips curl into a smile. "Yes, I had noticed that myself," he drawled, his expression cautious but sly.

The boy tried to give people free will and wanted to be fair. How... unlikely. But then again, the Adam had no apparent reason to lie. "That sounds like a tiresome job. Whatever made you decide to take that on?" It seemed a bit too selfless for a young man in his position. Granted, he knew as well as the next demon what the boy had done during 'the Incident', but it still left many things unnaccounted for.

"Perfect. Anything so long as I can sleep." His eyes skimmed over the log as well, reading upside down from a distance rather quickly. Just curiosity, of course.

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

"That's kinda a long story," said Adam, his expression adding that he had no intention of telling it.

Then he smiled, looking a little weary, a little sad, and very, very old. "You make your decisions and I make mine," was all the explanation he'd give.

Adam grabbed a key and handed it to the demon. He hadn't missed the glance to the book. "Aziraphale's just across the hall and a few doors down. If you need anyone else, just ring down here and we'll transfer you or you'll prob'ly run into them somewhere. There's a restaurant and bar on this floor, hospital on second, library and chapel on third, and a pool, hot tub, and pool table in the basement, but don't go in the locked room. Duke Ligur keeps his tentacle monster there and Ellie's real protective of her. I think that's everythin'. Have a good stay. Lemme know if you need anythin'."

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Well, that was... depressing. "Wasn't suggesting otherwise," he said simply. Truly, he was a bit put off because Adam had naturally seen right through the inquiry. He should just leave off with the questions and cut his losses.

Berith took his key and halfway paid attention to the list of facilities. It was that damn presence again. Adam had said Aziraphale, but that had not actually been who he had looked for, if he were totally honest with himself. Which he was not. Wait, what had he said? If he needed anything? "I will." One fine day in Hell, maybe....

[average-adam.livejournal.com]

By this point, Adam had dealt with Crowns of Hell and Princes of Heaven and even Lucifer himself on a couple of occasions. Sadly for Berith, no Duke, regardless of general tempting ability, was going to be able to get information from him that he wasn't willing to give. Adam was always and ultimately on his own ground. Fortunately omnipotence hadn't really gone to his head. And he didn't like frightening people more than necessary, so he neglected to mention Raguel's room number.

The young man smiled. "I'll see you around, then."

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Of course Berith hadn't meant to try anything on the Antichrist. It was simply habit by now to try and take advantage of his situation in any way he could. Especially when he felt cornered.

He nodded once, in an entirely vague way, and tried not to be put off by the smile anymore than he could help. "Yes, around. Er, nice to have met you." He made for the stairs a hair faster than was rightly necessary.