neutral_omens | (no subject)

Date: April 19, 2000, wee hours
Status: Private (Hermes, Ellie, Adam)
Setting: Manor
Summary: The resident succubus stumbles across another newcomer.

Ellie was recently enough a permanent resident of Earth that, though she'd got the hang of sleeping some time since, it hadn't yet grown from a pleasant indulgence to an ingrained habit to necessity. So she was as likely to be found wandering the Manor halls in the early hours of the morning, enjoying the sense of quiet and solitude, as sleeping in her own room.

This is how it came to be that, at around 1 am that morning, attracted by the sound of a soft tenor voice calling old names she hadn't heard used in a long time, Ellie came around a corner on the Manor's second floor dressed in a heavy green satin nightgown with matching robe and slippers, and stopped short at the sight of a barefoot Adonis in jeans and an overlarge duster.

She watched, bemused, as the comely youth (or entity who appeared to be a youth--oh my, he was a pretty one, with big soulful blue eyes and silvery-blond ringlets cascading around his face) absent-mindedly picked up a Manor ashtray and pocketed it without even looking.

"Looking for someone, doll?" she asked quietly, mindful of the hour and the assorted entities who slept all around them.

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Hermes was rather a good person to lie-by-omission to, because even if he found out he wouldn't be all that miffed. Still... "I don't want to open the door," he answered in a small voice, "I'm scared." The admittance was a hard thing to say, though easier to say to a stranger.

"Scared of me?" asked Adam surprised. "You wanna know what you'll see when you open the door? A twenty-year-old with golden blonde, kinda curly hair, and blue eyes. Wearin'..." he looked down, "an old t-shirt and blue jeans. And Ellie's here, too. You met her earlier, I think. She came to get me 'cause she was worried about you. What are you scared of? No one's gonna hurt you."

At that, he threw the door open, incredulous. "Of COURSE they're going to hurt me!! I'm a HEATH--en." He stared at Adam, surprised. "...You've been quite blessed by Aphrodite, haven't you?" was all he could think of to say, cheeks slightly pink with embarrassment at his outburst.

Adam blushed for the second time that night. "I can't really help what I look like," he said with a shrug. "And no one's gonna call you a heathen or try to hurt you for not bein' Christian. Nobody's hurt Odin or Loki and they're Norse gods. And nobody's hurt the witches and wizards or called them satanic or anythin'. I wouldn't let that happen at all." He radiated trust and confidence. "Welcome to Tadfield Manor," he said with a smile.

"No one hurts the Norse gods because it would be like smacking a tank," Hermes muttered with a dry humour. "...Welcome?" he echoed, "You mean..." it began to sink in. "I can...stay the night?" in a bed! he thought to himself joyfully.

Adam laughed. "Well, that's true. Of course you can stay the night. Stay as long as you like. We've got lots of rooms. But you should prob'ly tell Aziraphale in the mornin' that you're here or he might clear his throat significantly at you. You'll find him at the front desk. I'd try not to have any of his things in your pockets, though..."

"Well if I see things I want with his name on them, I'll leave them be," he promised with a smile, not realising he already had one of Azi's 'babies' in his left pocket.

The prospect of a room with a bed appealed greatly to the god, as well as bathing. "May I...see...my room?" he asked, a little awkwardly.

"Some people own things that don't have their names on 'em," said Adam with a faint smile, but he dropped the subject. The inhabitants would adapt soon enough. They always did.

"Sure. Follow me. I think one of the rooms near me is free. It's pretty simple, just a bed, dresser, desk and chair. But it's got its own private bathroom even if it's small and there's a restaurant and bar on the first floor and room service if you like. And if you need anythin' just knock on my door. That's what everybody does."

By the time he'd finished this speech they were at his door. "There you go. Sleep well, Hermes."

His face lit up. A private bathroom? Oh he was going to like staying here. Wait... "There isn't any anything I need to do in exchange?" he asked, shrewdly.

"Nope," said Adam, holding up three fingers. "Scout's honour. Anyone who needs refuge can stay here under my protection as long as they like. All I ask is that you don't hurt anyone else that lives here."

He thought a moment. "That is well enough," he answered, deciding to keep his habits very tidy just in case. And definitely no stealing. he thought to himself firmly.

Ellie, who had followed along for lack of anything better to do, winked at Hermes. "See, what'd I tell you? Nothing to worry about."

Pausing to consider a moment, she added, "Oh, and in the interest of full disclosure, I do have wings. But some of my best friends are heathens, so don't fret it, all right? I promise I won't bite. I'm...kind of out of touch with my own family, you could say, so come see me if you want to unload.

"Sweet dreams, babe." She blew him a friendly kiss, and went on her way.

He blushed a little, unused to nice human ladies at this point in history, and put a hand to his cheek as though her kiss had landed there. "I will," he said softly before closing the door.

"He has, hasn't he?" Ellie said in amusement, leaning on the wall at a cautious distance so as not to alarm the godling too much.