"Hello, Wesley." He didn't call him Elder. Didn't seem right. He never wanted to call anyone that ever again. "Can you let us in? Please." Barty wasn't good at the begging, not overly good at the cute act or anything else that might help. However, he had his sunshine next to him and with how panicked Aziraphale was currently, he was sure he looked scared and adorable enough for the both of them. "I know what to do. Just let us in."
He had a plan. Or at least the vague beginnings of at least three plans, which was better than nothing.
Wesley considered it for a moment and then he closed the door, undid the chain and reopened it. "I wasn't expecting --" He looked at Aziraphale for a few moment. "--Visitors."
Children, other people, whatever, he didn't expect anyone today. Which was why it wasn't great inside. It was clean and it smelled strongly of bleach from the deep clean he did yesterday, that wasn't the issue, the issue was more the books and papers absolutely everywhere and the bottle of scotch lying out. It wasn't kid friendly. "Bartemius, I said you could contact me if you ever needed to leave but ... I expected you to be alone."
Aziraphale held onto his brother very tightly and half hid behind him, terrified and unsure what was happening. He stared at the older man and wondered what Barty was doing. Was he insane? This was madness!
"They hit him." Barty said it straight up, no hesitation. He crouched down so he could draw Aziraphale into his arms, so he could pull him close against himself. "They punished him because he was playing. Like a child is supposed to do. They will do it once, they will do it again. Until the light is burned out of him."
Obviously they would. They had all been there. But Aziraphale was so young and always such a good boy. It was unfathomable that it should happen to him. "I won't let anyone hurt him again. I can protect him. I have evidence and documentation of all the abuse. They can't take us back."
"I see. I'm very sorry to hear that. I will -- I will make us tea, yes. You two can sit on the couch. Just move everything onto the floor." Wesley knew two ways to deal with trauma - tea or alcohol and right now, tea was all he could offer. "I'm sorry that they have already started with punishment. He's eight, isn't he? It always starts with eight. The guilt, the sin, the problems."
Aziraphale let Barty hold him, eyeing up the couch with fear before he turned around suddenly and looked at his brother with wide, concerned eyes. "I was bad, Barty. Please, I was the bad one, we can't leave. I wanna ... I wanna go back." Not because he desperately missed anyone but from fear. He didn't want bad things to happen. "You'll be in so much trouble."
"I don't care how much trouble I'm in, sunshine. I will make sure that you are safe." All he really cared about. Still, Barty tried to be gentle, coaxing Aziraphale over to the couch and moving things aside enough to sit down. Then he pulled Aziraphale on his lap and opened up his backpack. "I have prepared, Aziraphale. I won't be in trouble. We won't be. I have it all figured out."
He pulled out the book they had been reading lately - Peter Pan - and found the page they had stopped at, quietly reading to Aziraphale while Wesley made tea.
Aziraphale spent most of his down time with Barty these days. They read together in Barty's room and while the others called Barty scary and bad, he didn't think so. Not the way he read to him or how he held him, it couldn't be that he was a bad boy. He was far too sweet. Maybe people just didn't understand Barty.
He listened to Barty as Wesley set down tea for them and then disappeared back into the kitchen to do -- well, something he was sure. He bit his lip and leaned closer to Barty. Maybe it was okay, as long as Barty stayed with him and they could be safe. Together.
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no subject
He had a plan. Or at least the vague beginnings of at least three plans, which was better than nothing.
no subject
Children, other people, whatever, he didn't expect anyone today. Which was why it wasn't great inside. It was clean and it smelled strongly of bleach from the deep clean he did yesterday, that wasn't the issue, the issue was more the books and papers absolutely everywhere and the bottle of scotch lying out. It wasn't kid friendly. "Bartemius, I said you could contact me if you ever needed to leave but ... I expected you to be alone."
Aziraphale held onto his brother very tightly and half hid behind him, terrified and unsure what was happening. He stared at the older man and wondered what Barty was doing. Was he insane? This was madness!
no subject
Obviously they would. They had all been there. But Aziraphale was so young and always such a good boy. It was unfathomable that it should happen to him. "I won't let anyone hurt him again. I can protect him. I have evidence and documentation of all the abuse. They can't take us back."
no subject
Aziraphale let Barty hold him, eyeing up the couch with fear before he turned around suddenly and looked at his brother with wide, concerned eyes. "I was bad, Barty. Please, I was the bad one, we can't leave. I wanna ... I wanna go back." Not because he desperately missed anyone but from fear. He didn't want bad things to happen. "You'll be in so much trouble."
no subject
He pulled out the book they had been reading lately - Peter Pan - and found the page they had stopped at, quietly reading to Aziraphale while Wesley made tea.
no subject
He listened to Barty as Wesley set down tea for them and then disappeared back into the kitchen to do -- well, something he was sure. He bit his lip and leaned closer to Barty. Maybe it was okay, as long as Barty stayed with him and they could be safe. Together.