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there's a burning in his skin and he can't stop pacing, and every time his heart starts racing again, Crowley looks over to where Aziraphale is passed out on his bed, pale and clammy.
ants are crawling in his veins, and he just feels like bawling, because his angel cries out in pain instead.
there's some kind of power in the air, and all Crowley knows is that every time he gets a jolt of energy, he can /feel/ the same energy draining from his beloved.
it's been creeping on them for months, and Crowley was stupid enough to believe Aziraphale when he said it was nothing drastic. And now he's on the second week of a near catatonic angel in his home, and he is starting to panic, because the only thing he wants more than his angel back is to know what is going on in the first place. not knowing has always been a struggle, but now there's no one left to ask, and he's ready to start crawling the walls in the mean time.
---
"The demon Crowley...."
he freezes, cold, turning slowly to the face an ill looking human sitting on his couch, dressed in brown slacks and a pale mint green turtle neck. their hair was straw yellow and limp around their sunken cheeks and they grinned at him, eyes milky and teeth rotting.
"pestilence... i uh... i had thought you retired..."
the horseman raised hands, gesturing to the world in general, "I've been recalled. Against my wishes entirely, but... humans. it's hard to just sit aside sometimes when they call, you know?"
he does. however, he doesn't say anything more then, "So why visit me?
"because i can appreciate what the two of you tried to do. i know it was less anything you did in stopping the last ride, a little late to that party if i remember correctly? I believe the Young human had things well underway by that point."
Crowley mad a non-comental shrug, glancing around at the shadows of his home to see if it was just the one uninvited house guest.
"Still, you stood up to the bosses, and gave the Human the support needed to make sure things went back on pause. I do wish we could of enjoyed it longer..."
"Is the ride...."
"oh no, no. i'm here mostly for curiosity instead of work. this whole thing should have been under control, but... well.. Humans."
"And in my home specifically?"
The rider was quiet, sickly features studying Crowley. "Because i do mean it when i tell you i preferred retirement. that i am only hear to answer the call, because that is what i was created for. But when i got here.... i found something else had changed too. You two."
He grew angry, posturing threateningly, "Did you do this to him?!"
"No, Crowley. i did not, not anymore than i created this current plaque. but i think i have had an epiphany that has not occurred to the two of you yet."
"Care to share with the class?"
"Where does your strength come from, demon Crowley? where do you draw your miracles from?"
"From hell, obviously."
"Do you really?"
Crowley froze, slowly turning the statement over in his mind. "What... what are you implying?"
"I can not smell Heaven or Hell from either one of you. The whole country feels void of their present, has since the fallout of the last ride.
"Your obvious still a demon, and i'm assuming the room you keep putting yourself in front of contains your angel. Yet. I can't seance either of you. Can't feel the present of a single miracle. So unless the two of you have gone cold turkey....?"
"No, not at all. i.. i don't even think we've slowed down."
"Then there you go. it's not Hell your drawing power from. and i assume the principality is not drawing on heaven either. so. the question is. where does your power come from."
"Do you know the answer?"
"I have an idea."
"Do you plan on sharing?"
"perhaps. if only because i am very tired, and would like to go back to sleep."
"And... what. telling us fixes all this?"
"Not at all. probably wont fix a single thing out there."
---
"i think... that you two have because something closer to us now. don't.. don't think of it as a bad thing. i do want to remind you that while Azrael is a rider, they are still very much an angel, and has, as far as I'm aware, never answered to Heaven. And Raphael is out there.. somewhere, breathing new live into everything as fast as Azrael reaps it. and they two of them seem to get on just fine."
"So by closer to you.. you mean.."
"Agents of the Human Mind. created and sustained by human's worse thoughts."
"Fine. i'm a demon, doesn't change much... but" he grew quiet, looking back to where Aziraphale was wasting away, "Will he... what happens to him then?"
"I doubt he will disappear, but i think his power no longer comes from heaven. honestly, i think your hasn't been from hell for a long time. i think quiet honestly, that some time ago, you started drawing power from the pure chaos of humanity. it would go a long way in explaining your ability for blessings. and the holy water immunity."
Crowley carefully did not react to the last couple words, but he did wonder if the rider had a point, "and... Aziraphale?"
"I would say the opposite of chaos would be order or lawfulness. things that are.... a bit lacking right now, yea? not a lot of kindness
ants are crawling in his veins, and he just feels like bawling, because his angel cries out in pain instead.
there's some kind of power in the air, and all Crowley knows is that every time he gets a jolt of energy, he can /feel/ the same energy draining from his beloved.
it's been creeping on them for months, and Crowley was stupid enough to believe Aziraphale when he said it was nothing drastic. And now he's on the second week of a near catatonic angel in his home, and he is starting to panic, because the only thing he wants more than his angel back is to know what is going on in the first place. not knowing has always been a struggle, but now there's no one left to ask, and he's ready to start crawling the walls in the mean time.
---
"The demon Crowley...."
he freezes, cold, turning slowly to the face an ill looking human sitting on his couch, dressed in brown slacks and a pale mint green turtle neck. their hair was straw yellow and limp around their sunken cheeks and they grinned at him, eyes milky and teeth rotting.
"pestilence... i uh... i had thought you retired..."
the horseman raised hands, gesturing to the world in general, "I've been recalled. Against my wishes entirely, but... humans. it's hard to just sit aside sometimes when they call, you know?"
he does. however, he doesn't say anything more then, "So why visit me?
"because i can appreciate what the two of you tried to do. i know it was less anything you did in stopping the last ride, a little late to that party if i remember correctly? I believe the Young human had things well underway by that point."
Crowley mad a non-comental shrug, glancing around at the shadows of his home to see if it was just the one uninvited house guest.
"Still, you stood up to the bosses, and gave the Human the support needed to make sure things went back on pause. I do wish we could of enjoyed it longer..."
"Is the ride...."
"oh no, no. i'm here mostly for curiosity instead of work. this whole thing should have been under control, but... well.. Humans."
"And in my home specifically?"
The rider was quiet, sickly features studying Crowley. "Because i do mean it when i tell you i preferred retirement. that i am only hear to answer the call, because that is what i was created for. But when i got here.... i found something else had changed too. You two."
He grew angry, posturing threateningly, "Did you do this to him?!"
"No, Crowley. i did not, not anymore than i created this current plaque. but i think i have had an epiphany that has not occurred to the two of you yet."
"Care to share with the class?"
"Where does your strength come from, demon Crowley? where do you draw your miracles from?"
"From hell, obviously."
"Do you really?"
Crowley froze, slowly turning the statement over in his mind. "What... what are you implying?"
"I can not smell Heaven or Hell from either one of you. The whole country feels void of their present, has since the fallout of the last ride.
"Your obvious still a demon, and i'm assuming the room you keep putting yourself in front of contains your angel. Yet. I can't seance either of you. Can't feel the present of a single miracle. So unless the two of you have gone cold turkey....?"
"No, not at all. i.. i don't even think we've slowed down."
"Then there you go. it's not Hell your drawing power from. and i assume the principality is not drawing on heaven either. so. the question is. where does your power come from."
"Do you know the answer?"
"I have an idea."
"Do you plan on sharing?"
"perhaps. if only because i am very tired, and would like to go back to sleep."
"And... what. telling us fixes all this?"
"Not at all. probably wont fix a single thing out there."
---
"i think... that you two have because something closer to us now. don't.. don't think of it as a bad thing. i do want to remind you that while Azrael is a rider, they are still very much an angel, and has, as far as I'm aware, never answered to Heaven. And Raphael is out there.. somewhere, breathing new live into everything as fast as Azrael reaps it. and they two of them seem to get on just fine."
"So by closer to you.. you mean.."
"Agents of the Human Mind. created and sustained by human's worse thoughts."
"Fine. i'm a demon, doesn't change much... but" he grew quiet, looking back to where Aziraphale was wasting away, "Will he... what happens to him then?"
"I doubt he will disappear, but i think his power no longer comes from heaven. honestly, i think your hasn't been from hell for a long time. i think quiet honestly, that some time ago, you started drawing power from the pure chaos of humanity. it would go a long way in explaining your ability for blessings. and the holy water immunity."
Crowley carefully did not react to the last couple words, but he did wonder if the rider had a point, "and... Aziraphale?"
"I would say the opposite of chaos would be order or lawfulness. things that are.... a bit lacking right now, yea? not a lot of kindness
