"So he took you to his car because of the rain." She was filling in the blanks here, latching onto anything that Aziraphale was putting out. She was determined to make this narrative work for her. For them, she supposed. "Did he get wet? That must have been a sight."
She was trying to prompt him, visualising it as best she could. Best to make Aziraphale less guarded, and getting him to talk freely was always easier once he started talking. He was bad at holding anything back, at least when she prodded just right. "Do you think his hair colour is natural? Very unusual, but I didn't see any roots."
"I think it's natural but I hardly know, I'm not studying him, am I?" He was and it was awful and he was terrible. With a faint blush, he turned away from Anathema and went over to the other side of the library, trying to look busy and not think about Crowley's face or face or really tight pants that barely hide anything. His wet, drenched boy - God. God, save him from this tempter.
"He just likes to visit with his nephew, the boy needs constant amusement! You know how kids are." Probably not but she did sometimes have to do the story time so she likely had an inkling.
"Yes, yes. Children are incredibly annoying. You are really dancing around the very gay point," Anathema felt the need to bring to his attention, leaning against the cart and watching him. It was an interesting one, their friendship. In some ways, she knew Aziraphale incredibly well. They had discussed books, which could get very deep and personal. But, no, Aziraphale never discussed his personal life directly, his circumstances. She wasn't sure whether he was single or in a relationship, where exactly he lived, his family life, anything like that. Of course she knew he was gay. It was obvious.
But now there was something to latch onto and it was juicy. "What I can tell you is that the guy walked in and I was fifty-fifty on whether he was straight or not, until he honed in on you. Could have been one of those rock star types, but no. The way he looked at you, Aziraphale. Are you really going to pretend you didn't notice?"
So she knew too? Or at least, she had a strong inkling. How obvious was he? Aziraphale swallowed hard and awkwardly fiddled with the books on the shelf. "I noticed. Yes, I -- I don't want to talk about it. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what he did or why he came to talk to me, I just ... it's not really going to change anything. He's just being nice to me."
Maybe it was pity or maybe he did like him - did it matter? He could never have that unless he stood up to his family and he had to do it but... how? How did he find that sort of courage? He was a happy coward. "I have no answers for you that would ever satisfy you."
"That's fine. I don't mean to pressure you." Anathema tried a smile, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. She walked over to him, simply to put a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, I was just teasing. We are friends, so think nothing of it. Friendly teasing over a cute guy."
She hadn't meant to put that look on Aziraphale's face, the one he had now. That fear and something burgeoning on despair. "All I want to tell you is that he likes you. It's always nice to be liked, isn't it? You have a customer with a crush, that's cute."
Wait. "It's cute in this case. All I ever get is the gross guys with the librarian fetish."
"You do attract some questionable men. Especially one that fellow who hates to shower." At least, he assumed he hated showering, given the smell. Aziraphale let himself relax an then he turned to Anathema, seeing her concern and worry. She truly was a good friend, in her own way, and he hated that he was lying to her as well. That he was lying to everyone. That he had never said the words aloud to anyone, even if everyone seemed to know.
"He's very handsome..." Aziraphale finally managed to say, finding the courage. "He's the sort of man I would hope to find some day."
Was that coming out? Did he do it? He wasn't sure. He doubted it'd be a big moment for her but for him, in some ways, it was. "I danced with him. In the back. It was rather lovely."
"Is that your type? The bad boy." No, Anathema couldn't know just how much of a milestone this was for Aziraphale, but given his initial reactions and reluctance, she could at least guess at it a little. She had always been good at reading people and it was not as if this was difficult to do right now Aziraphale's anxiety was palpable. "You two danced? That's ridiculously romantic, I hope you realise."
She had assumed maybe making out for a bit, hardly time for anything else, but dance? Anathema grinned, pulling him into a quick hug. "You are one lucky duck."
"I'm not sure how lucky I am, we shall see in a couple of weeks time. I'm working on a very important letter so that will determine my outcome." Aziraphale said in his usual cryptic, awkward manner, letting Anathema give him a hug. Hugs were weird. Different. He liked them. He never really had that many. Today, he had been held by two people - in drastically different ways, of course!
"I really can finish up here. You should head home and relax. I don't have anywhere to be so -- I'll do the close up." He wanted to stay a little long, see if he could find a fitting poem for his letter.
"Fine. I'll leave you here to think about your handsome bad boy." She ruffled his hair, because why wouldn't she? Then turned away so she could get her things and leave. "I'll see you tomorrow. And I'll really have to teach you how to talk about boys, you are taking all the fun out of it."
A few more steps and then she looked back, indicating with her fingers. "By the way. Ten inches. At least."
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thearrangement2023-04-13 06:20 pm
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She was trying to prompt him, visualising it as best she could. Best to make Aziraphale less guarded, and getting him to talk freely was always easier once he started talking. He was bad at holding anything back, at least when she prodded just right. "Do you think his hair colour is natural? Very unusual, but I didn't see any roots."
no subject
"He just likes to visit with his nephew, the boy needs constant amusement! You know how kids are." Probably not but she did sometimes have to do the story time so she likely had an inkling.
no subject
But now there was something to latch onto and it was juicy. "What I can tell you is that the guy walked in and I was fifty-fifty on whether he was straight or not, until he honed in on you. Could have been one of those rock star types, but no. The way he looked at you, Aziraphale. Are you really going to pretend you didn't notice?"
no subject
Maybe it was pity or maybe he did like him - did it matter? He could never have that unless he stood up to his family and he had to do it but... how? How did he find that sort of courage? He was a happy coward. "I have no answers for you that would ever satisfy you."
no subject
She hadn't meant to put that look on Aziraphale's face, the one he had now. That fear and something burgeoning on despair. "All I want to tell you is that he likes you. It's always nice to be liked, isn't it? You have a customer with a crush, that's cute."
Wait. "It's cute in this case. All I ever get is the gross guys with the librarian fetish."
no subject
"He's very handsome..." Aziraphale finally managed to say, finding the courage. "He's the sort of man I would hope to find some day."
Was that coming out? Did he do it? He wasn't sure. He doubted it'd be a big moment for her but for him, in some ways, it was. "I danced with him. In the back. It was rather lovely."
no subject
She had assumed maybe making out for a bit, hardly time for anything else, but dance? Anathema grinned, pulling him into a quick hug. "You are one lucky duck."
no subject
"I really can finish up here. You should head home and relax. I don't have anywhere to be so -- I'll do the close up." He wanted to stay a little long, see if he could find a fitting poem for his letter.
no subject
A few more steps and then she looked back, indicating with her fingers. "By the way. Ten inches. At least."