isleofavalon | It's so stimulating being your hat.

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It's so stimulating being your hat.

🧙 WHO: Aziraphale, Crowley, and Alec.
⚔️️ WHAT: 🌌🗡️ The Libryrinth, part 1. - In which the Angel goes exploring and gets himself into a tight spot.
🕒 WHEN: Idk February
🗺️ WHERE: The LIBRARY
⚠️ WARNINGS: Alec will probably say the F word at least once. Crowley might too. The Angel might kiss the demon. They're terribly ill-prepared for a battle and incredibly incompetent, but they're living their best lives and living out not-so-secret hero and damsel-in-distress fantasies. You've been warned.

"I shouldn't be gone long, but if I'm not back by...say, midnight, I suppose you'd best let Crowley know."

It was now only half 'til ten. The angel had been gone since nine, with his notes and his ridiculous thrill at playing sleuth. He was intelligent, so whatever puzzle he had in mind to solve, Lamassu expected Aziraphale to have solved it by now. Which meant he had probably gotten himself in over his head and, since he rarely practiced his magic, he was likely very defenseless. There was nothing for it. Lamassu couldn't very well go in after him; They would alert the Librarian. Lamassu were regal guards. They did not enter establishments unlawfully. Nor had They been designed for stealth and lurking or breaking curfew. (For that matter, neither had the Angel...)

So someone would have to alert the Demon.

Well, it certainly wasn't going to be Lamassu. Then someone might get ideas about Them being being a messenger service. Or worse, concerned. So They went to the being most suited for the task...

"We were hoping you might bring this matter to the attention of your human counterpart and the Demon Crowley," Lamassu finished explaining drolly to the grim whippet, "in the hope that they might rescue Our counterpart from the Library. We highly suggest you encourage them to bring a snack and perhaps a light sweater for the Principality. He was...ill-prepared."

They turned to go.

"Oh. And We suggest they exercise prudence. Do not allow them to be disruptive. We know this will be difficult for creatures of their nature. But the Librarian does not take kindly to intruders."

---

The librarian passed by underneath and he held his breath, stilled his motion and waited. She continued on, her candle lantern flickering into the distance once again along the circuit of her patrol. With her out of earshot, Aziraphale drew an arrow in chalk at the split between path options (this was definitely not his first labyrinth and likely wouldn't be his last), doodled the path and the odd markings into his notes, and carefully continued along the tops of the shelves.

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"Alec!" His voice was hushed and he looked around hurriedly for the Librarian. "Be careful. You'll damage the binding." Somewhere just past the windowed doors, a fire burned and the smoke was not bad, it looked to be well on the way to going out, but he could smell it. Someone had lit garbage on fire. "What did you do?? Oh, for the love of-- You can pick locks."

He'd seen it done, no use denying it.

It couldn't be past midnight already, so that meant Lamassu--that (to borrow a popular American term) narc--had gone ahead and ratted him out to Alec (of course), who had undoubtedly brought Crowley in tow with him. Oh, could he not just do a quest peacefully?

While Alec got all the blame and frowns, Aziraphale turned a warm, thankful, smitten smile to Crowley "Hello, my dear," then grumpily snatched back the book from Alec, smoothed a hand over it, and reshelved it.

He stood, dusting off his trousers. "I have work to do. You'll have to be quiet. And mind your step. Some of these shelves are a bit slippery and it's a little high up. I'm not sure what we're looking for," he added with an excited whisper, practically wiggling with joy, "but it's all very adventurous. Like something from those, ah, Indiana Jones movies." There was a mystery and he intended to solve it.

"Shh. She's coming back through."

Crowley was still standing there with his back up against a shelf of books, all conveniently ordered by the subject of environmental studies, when Alec took off to confront Aziraphale. The words might have left a sting in there some where but any evidence of that was shown only in the way he hung back from the others. It was only one coffee cup not the end of the world.

"Hm? The fire was the quickest way to get the hall monitor out of the way."

But such a temporary measure didn't last nearly long enough. Crowley looked back towards the door and drat if Aziraphale wasn't right. That creepy Librarian put out the last of the flames and was heading back towards the door. He could hear the creak of the hinges as the glass door opened but he was too busy clamoring up onto the top of a shelf to watch her approach.

"Everyone hide... "

Fortunately(?) he assumed that the accusation was leveled at Anthony. That Fell cooed at him after didn't disavow him of the notion because he was just that much of a lovestruck fool. Alec would never admit that he found the man's enthusiasm a bit- well--cu-- endearing, but steadfastly refused to be endeared.

Instead he grunted to say that he had heard and kept his gaze forward, wanting to get this damn thing over with so he could go back to sleep. That coffee wasn't doing shit.

Or maybe it just kicked in. Or maybe it was Anthony's panicked whisper for everyone to hide that sent adrenaline flooding through his system. Fuck. Shit. Hell. He was never any good at hiding in either life. Except in Abaddon House. Outside of those strange halls and catacombs, he usually panicked until it was almost too late and then either hid behind a tree or gave up altogether.

Right now it seemed the latter as he frantically looked round for a place to hide but became wracked with indecision.

He backed into Crowley in an effort to hide and, bumping into him, gave him a coy, apologetic, if shamelessly flirty smile about that contact. Even though he wasn't privy to the snogging in the stacks conversation, clearly great minds thought alike.

That would have to wait, though-- Seeing that Alec wasn't joining them or finding somewhere to hide himself, Aziraphale darted forward, seized Alec by the back of his collar with surprising strength, put a hand over his mouth, and hauled him back with them into the shadows.

By all outward appearances, they probably looked downright comical: three grown man-shaped beings pressed in tight like sardines, standing with their backs to the shelves of books, fear in their eyes as they waited for the horror to pass. But inwardly, it was actually terrifying. No, they were likely in no real danger except a slap on the wrist and a bit of community service, but it had that same terrifying, gleeful viscerally real thrill to it that childhood hide-and-seek presented: no real danger, but try telling your racing heart that.

The Librarian's heels click clacked against the flooring, the sound almost echoing in the silent dim room. She stopped a few aisles before theirs to reshelf a tome. Aziraphale smooshed himself back against Crowley even tighter, as if somehow they could defy space and blend into the books. She continued onward, footsteps fading down the way.

After a moment, there was the aching creak of a bookcart with wheels in need of oil, and she was back to her task.

There was something tight and almost intimate in this... Doubtless the feeling had been inspired by that coy look he had just been given. It was the sort of warm loving expression that moved one's hand to rest protectively on your angel's hip while the other remained free, fingers wiggling in the air as he prepare to do... what? Something, spur of the moment and brilliant that would get them out of this mess unscathed. Crowley never had to act on that impulse however as the Librarian moved on of her own accord leaving him to enjoy the closeness of their sardine-like hiding place and smirk at Alec who looked hilariously surprised tucked there under Fell's arm.

Crowley had been about to suggest they move on before the warden returned when a glimmer from the books behind them caught his attention.

"Hey, what's that?"

His free hand reached around Aziraphale to move the book which blocked the faint glowing light. As 'Magic and You' slid out of the way the symbol could be seen on the back wall of the bookcase. Aziraphale had apparently spent all evening looking for these so he was immediately the one Crowley turned to.

"Upside down ram's head? That mean anything to you?"

It was like being suddenly manhandled by a cologne wearing gorilla. Every part of Alec froze as he was held. He didn't dare move, not even to squirm, and also tried very hard not to think. The librarian wasn't even as terrifying as-- well-- this.

He was a second too late to smack Anthony's hand away from the glowing book, but then decided the better idea was to take Fell's hand from his mouth and get some breathing room.

"Don't just touch things." But it was more or less gasped as he worked on getting free.

Aziraphale gave a frown as Alec wriggled free and he wiped any spit on his hand off on...well, he thought better of wiping it on his own trousers and instead, wiped his hand on Alec’s shirt sleeve. It was a very sibling sort of antic and Aziraphale, who had never had siblings as Fell and considered the other angels more coworkers than siblings, was very proud of himself.

As for the ram head, he put on his glasses, and opened up his notes, leafing through until he found the little doodle of a rams head from a previous shelf. He compared that with the one Crowley had found, made a few notes to himself and smiled up at his beau.

“It means you’re a menace and you’re lucky nothing here seems to be booby trapped.” Oh but he appreciated Crowley’s help and if Alec weren’t here, he might even award the help with a kiss. Well, he could make eyes at Crowley later. Right now he was giddy with the chance to solve a mystery. “I’m not sure what the ram means, specifically, but I think it suggests we’re on the right track. Come on, spitspot, best not dawdle.” He carefully stepped over a gap in the shelving and continued along what he had determined to be the route until they arrived at the next fork.

The eyes said as much as a kiss would have anyway as Fell had very expressive, very gorgeous, eyes. Not to mention he had been called a menace. Anthony was on cloud nine at being called a menace! That was practically pillow talk, but it needed to be answered only with a warm look of own as they did have company here and there was that worry of traps to consider.

"You really think there would be booby traps in a library... Maybe they set the books slightly askew so they all fall over when on is touched. Or messed with the check out slips so no matter how hard to tried you would always end up returning a book late?"

He wasn't the least bit serious about any of this, he said them only to illustrate how ridiculous he thought it was that there might have been traps in a library. A touch of snark always got his point across so well.

Spitspot.

A typically archaic Aziraphale word that even as he dared not to dawdle still had him smirking to hold back a laugh. No one ever used spitspot anymore! Well, no one but Fell did. It was part of his charm but still funny. He hopped the gap and turned slightly to look back at Alec, who still seemed a shocked for some reason. Maybe because that Librarian had been wearing her glasses down on the very tip of her pointed nose and had been carrying a rather large ruler.

"Mind the gap. If you fell that Librarian would be sure to hear it."

Spitspot? He mouthed the words as if he wasn't sure he'd heard them and shook his head. "It's like dealing with bloody Mary Poppins." This muttered to himself as he eyed the gap. He wasn't sure about that gap. It didn't seem too big to cross over, Anthony had. Fell had. And yet--

"I'll catch up." Which meant he'd try to find another way. There had to be another way, right? Some place where he wouldn't have to jump?

Yes, he honestly thought there might be booby traps in the library because Crowley was vastly underestimating how great of lengths a bookloving libarian might go to in order to protect her hoard. Granted, he didn't think the boobytraps would be deadly saws, or swinging axes... maybe just a floor panel to open up and expell a naughty demon from the stacks. Something very benign and scooby doo.

Really, did Crowley not know who he was talking to? Aziraphale did everything BUT booby trap the bookstore against customers.

"It's not that far," Aziraphale tutted, giving both Crowley A Look and Alec a more encouraging, if exasperated one. He held out a hand. "We don't have all night, Alec. Give me your hand--Crowley, you take his other arm. Won't let you fall now, alright?"

"It'll be easy, just like baby steps. You definitely won't fall. That's more of a demon thing anyway..."

Taking the cue Crowley stepped up to the very lip of the bookshelf and leaned slightly out to reach for Alec's arm.

"Give me your hand?"

He didn't want the help, especially coupled with Fell's exasperation. He would find another way. He didn't need help from them. He would just rather go around.

And then Anthony had to speak up and make him feel bloody cared for. How could he say no when he spoke like that? When he offered his hand?

He muttered something under his breath, took both offered hands so he wouldn't get any pouting looks and, heart in his throat, let himself be helped over the gap. He didn't credit the warmth that filled him when he made it as that was just a dangerous emotion at the best of times.

"Thank you." Muttered. "Let's get on with it." Also his ears are not red so you can forget about even mentioning something that clearly isn't happening.

"Right, yes."

Alec now on sure footing beside them, Aziraphale was focused back to the matter at hand, completely oblivious to the red ears that were not happening or the warm, happy cousin bonding. He was on a quest, a mission, and he hadn't invited them because they would have been a distraction--as they were being, each in their own way.

He was giddy with the prospect of adventure, following the pathway of the shelving as it skimmed the edge of the room, keeping his eyes out for more symbols, caught up in the fantasy of it. So focused, he nearly ran face first into a hanging light fixture.

Crowley watched after both of them as they walked past and continued on the mad journey across the book shelves. He took up the rear, just to keep an eye on both of them, to smirk at those red tipped ears, and to spy on that Librarian one last time before the mission carried them on out of viewing range. She had quite the stack of books there, all returns, some of them late, which she was sorting into piles to return to the shelves they belonged on. It her own little world then... maybe she wouldn't have heard the clatter of crystal beads singing off each other like a windchime as Aziraphale nearly whacked that light fixture off the ceiling.

"Angel," this said in a hissed whisper as like radar the Librarian's head snapped up, "Watch your step also means what's hanging in front of you too. You nearly got that lady stirred up again."

He sauntered after the pair, still speaking as he skirted around a stack of books but just missed seeing the rounded bookend concealed behind them. This was ever so lightly kicked with the tip of a snakeskin boot and sent rolling across the stacks. It teetered once on the very edge before gravity forced it right over and sent it to smash into a million pieces on the floor. Glass shards... everywhere...

All Crowley could do was gap at the mess.

"Think she heard that?"

He may have snickered a bit involuntarily when Fell smacked his head, only to drag his hand over his face a moment later when the bookend fell. The librarian was looking up, he could see it from here. He didn't know why they were hiding from her either other than it seemed like a good idea--

Thinking fast he scooped up a fat tome and threw it in the opposite direction as hard as he could. It hit something in the dark and there was an impressive avalanche sound that he assumed were tumbling book and more than one breakable object he hoped wasn't valuable.

"Let's go."

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It's so stimulating being your hat.

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