Dossier Thirty-Five

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Henrietta is in the kitchen, grinning and humming to herself while she bakes. There are several finished products on the counter already, cakes of various sizes and consistencies, none of them Quite Right. She's mixing up another bowl of batter, checking the clock on the oven.]

[She sets the batter down with a grin.]

Maybe I should practice the lettering.

Comments

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[...why is it Crowley believes Henrietta is up to no good?]

What's all this, then?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Because occasionally those 6000 years bestow some wisdom after all.]

[She twirls one of the slightly deformed cakes toward him, so the newly-finished lettering slowly rotates and halts upright in front of the demon.]

[...it says 'Happy Frigay!' Or, you know, that could just be an upside-down 'd'. You keep telling yourself that, Crowley.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Oh you are getting such a glare, Henrietta.]

Yes, perhaps you ought to practise the lettering after all.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

I thought I could give this one to Hei.

1/2

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[...okay he can't resist >>]

You know, I've always suspected that about him.

2/2

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Then it's right back to serious!demon. He sighs.]

Henrietta, what are you trying to accomplish with this?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[She licks her fingers, eyebrows raised.] I'm baking cakes. What's there to accomplish?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Henrietta.

[in a slightly lower voice]

Look, I don't care if you plan to be smug about this. Be my guest. I don't want anyone else finding out.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Eyebrow still raised] Doesn't everyone already know?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Er... >>]

There's a difference between suspecting and knowing, all right? This is important.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[She smears the letters into an icing-puddle as though she had been planning to do it anyway. As she licks the icing off the knife--] So, what's wrong, then?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[He crosses his arms and leans his elbows against the counter.]

...it isn't the Aziraphale from my—our—reality.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[....]

Excuse me?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[He looks around, a hunted expression on his face.]

Can we discuss this back in the flat?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Sets the spoon down.] No, you can tell me what you mean by not our Aziraphale.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[cringe]

It was...an accident.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Hissing] How does that happen by accident?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

I'm not discussing this here. Drop back to the flat.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[She leans across the counter, scowling a bit.] I don't think you get to dictate terms here, dad.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

I think the fact that you're calling me "Dad" means I do.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[SUCH a glare. She drops.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley drops as well, then makes a beeline for the kitchen and the liquor stash :|]

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Standing between him and the liquor.] Oh no you don't.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Stops short]

Excuse me?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

You're excused.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[....]

Henrietta, move.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

No, dad. [She crosses her arms, not in hostility so much as determination.] If you want me to listen, you could at least talk to me sober.

...Please.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[For a moment he appears to be wavering between accepting this and making a play for the liquor anyway.]

...all right. C'mon, then.

[Heading back into the lounge to the sofa.]

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[And she trails after him!]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[He collapses onto the couch, elbows resting on his knees, and rubs his temples.]

Look, I...I didn't mean for this to happen, all right? I just need you to keep quiet about it until I've a chance to talk with the other Aziraphale. I don't need him finding out from someone else.

[contract_star]

[Cake!] Celebrating something?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Grins at him] Nothing in particular.

[contract_star]

[Raises his eyebrows.] Oh? Just thought to cook up a bunch of cakes, eh?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[There is lettering on one of them! It's not facing Hei, but if he can see it upside down, it reads 'Happy Frigay!']

Something like that.

[contract_star]

[Looks over the cake and smiiiirks at the lettering.]

Oh, clever. I like it.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Passes it to him with a flourish.]

[contract_star]

Shouldn't they get this one, though?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

This is just a tester.

[contract_star]

Oh, so if I die you know not to feed it to them, is that it?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

Or if you die I know it's working.

[contract_star]

[Laughs.] So glad I get to be your guinea pig.

[Not that that's going to stop him from eating the cake, of course. He's already sampling the frosting.]