? 020 ?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley appears on the Plane in his usual suit-and-tie, holding the apparently shattered remains of his sunglasses. There's a cut along his right temple oozing blood, and he smells and looks as though someone's poured cheap beer on him. He's just sort of staring down at his glasses, snake eyes blinking with unnatural infrequency, looking irked.]

...wasn't even trying for a riot this time. Here I thought Manchester might even pull this one out.

[He sighs and snaps his fingers, intending on repairing the busted set of sunglasses. Instead, a new pair appear on his face seemingly out of thin air. He is startled, to say the least, dropping the old pair to the ground.]

How— But— Did I...?

[Slowly a grin spreads across his face, and he starts laughing.]

Comments

[contract_star]

[He shakes his head.] You couldn't have known.

[He's silent for a moment, fidgeting.] It was an experiment. I was trapped inside the Gate for five days. That place... [He shakes his head again.] You couldn't have known.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Silence for a moment]

I could wipe the memory, if it'd help at all. This...attack, I mean.

[contract_star]

[Sharply,] No. [A beat, then, gentler this time,] No. I don't want my memories tampered with, not even the bad ones. That's the PANDORA solution. The Syndicate's solution. [He shakes his head.] Anyway, they don't happen nearly as often as they used to.

[Long pause.] ...Thanks, though.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Yeah, don't mention it.

Drink?

[contract_star]

[Grins.] I thought you'd never ask.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Yes, well...just don't go telling Henrietta. We actually had to have the "please stay sober, Dad" talk the other day.

[he looks somewhat embarrassed by this, but is now moving in a general Astral Bar-type direction]

[contract_star]

That's an actual "talk?"

[Following, still a little shaky though trying not to let on.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley will slow up a bit to keep pace with Hei]

You don't watch much television, do you?

[contract_star]

[Hei notices and isn't sure how he feels about that, Crowley.]

No.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Too bad Hei :)]

Well it is, apparently. And it's...unpleasant.

Yet another item on the list of reasons why I am the last being in the Universe that ought to be parenting.

[contract_star]

I can imagine.

[He snorts.] There are much worse parents out there.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Ngh. I don't suppose she showed you the cake she baked a few days ago? And of course the ansaphone...

She was a teenaged version of me. [shudder]

[contract_star]

[Chuckles.] I saw that. Pretty clever.

That doesn't necessarily make you a bad parent, though.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[eyebrow raise]

You've met me?

[contract_star]

Yes, and?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

And...we're here.

[Why thank you, Astral Bar, for being so conveniently placed! Crowley pauses and makes a sweeping gesture with his hands, signalling Hei to go first.]

[contract_star]

[Hei stares at Crowley a moment longer before shrugging and going in. He takes a seat at the bar and pours himself a glass of Scotch.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley rounds the bar and conjures himself a martini glass, then goes about collecting ingredients whilst grinning.]

I'm certainly going to enjoy getting used to this again.

[contract_star]

I'm sure you will. [He starts drinking a little faster than normal, trying to chase away the last of the hallucination.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley notices! And...continues to make his own drink]

You said this has happened before?

[contract_star]

[Hei nods, halfway through his drink now.] Many times.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

There must be a better way of dealing with it. All dislike of hypnotism aside, not doing anything sounds a touch masochistic.

[contract_star]

I have done something about it. I told you, it's gotten a lot better.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Right.

[He finishes his martini and takes a seat]

Certainly makes me terribly excited to have the bloody thing in my own reality.

[contract_star]

Just don't go near it.