neutral_omens | (no subject)

Date: December 26, 1999
Setting: The Lobby
Status: Public (Complete)
Summary: Raphael brings home a slightly odd pet.

For having met with a man who experimented with the demonic, was constantly on morphine and tended to smell like death in general, Raphael felt that their meeting hadn't gone too badly. There had been tea and cookies and a tree even. Faust VIII was a strange doctor, but a doctor at heart who (though extremely unorthodox) did tend to work towards a somewhat mutual goal. And deep down, Raphael felt that he was, at his core, a rather decent man whom he'd missed more than he cared to admit.

Dr. Strange had been right to suggest patching things up.

He had not anticipated, however, Faust's insistence upon giving him a 'Christmas gift' beyond his hospitality - no pun intended. When Raphael intimated his concerns about the tensions surrounding him, Faust insisted upon giving him a 'companion' to help look after the ward, deliver messages, guard what needed watching and serve as a supernatural companion.

Raphael looked down at the necromanced bone dog in his arms and sighed. He really couldn't have refused...

Then the dog began barking.

"Be quiet Frankensteiny," Raphael said, shushing him and walking towards his quarters as quickly as possible. "I don't want anyone knowing you're here before they have to..."

Threaded | Flat

After hearing John's warnings regarding tomorrow's operation, Crowley needed a drink. He daren't have one the next day regardless of his ability to choose his level of sobriety, so he thought he'd visit the bar now.

Heading downstairs, he was walking towards the bar when he heard a dog bark and he directed his steps towards the lobby instead. If Adam had brought that hellhound here...

But it wasn't Adam and Dog. It was Raphael. Carrying what looked like a moving dog skeleton. Crowley stopped walking abruptly.

"Raphael? Uh, nice dog...?"

He lumped Michael in with the demons and the horsepeople? Interesting...

Crowley thought for a moment.

"That is a very selfish kind of love, don't you think? Thinking only of your loss and your pain and not how your love might affect the people that you mentioned, if indeed you even have individual love for them and not just that general angel love crap."

He took a step forward.

"People die, angel. That's the whole point. And they often die because of stupid things. But that's up to Him isn't it? He made the horsepeople and the destruction that you despise. It's two sides to the same coin. Destruction and Creation. Hurting and Healing. They go hand in hand. Like Aziraphale says incessantly, it's probably ineffable. They have no meaning separately."

He rubbed his temple and continued.

"But those people have free will. They make their own choices. You have to love them despite those choices, not what they would be if they made the 'right' ones. This is why I don't believe you when you say you've been challenged by love. So you've been hurt. Big fucking deal. You're not special. It happens to everyone. What are you going to do about it, that's what I'd like to know?"

"We are not separate from others - but we have responsibilities. If one cannot do anything then one is devoid of responsibility. If one can do something, responsibility rests on their shoulders.

And a doctor has implicitly different responsibilities from someone whose purpose is to make war. The ending might be the same; but for a physician it is a greater betrayal, a larger violation of duty. We promise to do no harm. So when affection leads to destruction, it is trechery.

Were there none who killed or injured I would not fill ill used. I would be glad in my redundancy. And the point of the fighting is that someday it will end - a day I long for most dearly. The passing away of destruction is the ultimate goal so I look to that, to peace as the high point of perfection."

He looked away.

"Love has never caused anybody to lose that? I'm not so sure. And I would not risk it."