[ It was one of the reasons the kids had been so quickly endeared to Anathema: they felt like kindred spirits, as she let herself be swept up in their delightful nonsense, following the wandering threads of their conversation like a little boat bobbing along on a conversational stream. Anathema could be like a quick bird herself, her attention often too brisk, hopping three steps forward into the future where others were still lagging behind. Adam, though, can keep up. ]
Smart. They're the ones who know each other best, anyway. And I suppose that makes sense that Aziraphale would like it— it seems like Gabriel is absolutely wild about the holiday.
[ She mentions him unthinkingly; has grown so used to him, now, that she forgets to pause and ask first what Adam's relationship to the archangel might be like. ]
[ Adam seems surprised that she'd mention him at all. As far as he knows, she hadn't really kept in contact with the guy after everything that happened, but...they've all been here for a while now. Really goes to show how little they've been in contact. Though...he's seen Gabriel a lot, and it didn't always go well. ]
[ There’s a short pause of his own, no one’s ever asked him that so he hasn’t quite ever attempt to put it into words. Sure, he’s been told to stay away from him, by the obvious parties that would unmistakably think that, but, otherwise...]
I don’t know. [ Not quite accurate, but it’s one of those kinds of answers that can both mean nothing and say all there needs to be said.]
He’s weird. And he’s always talking about the same thing. Sometimes he’s fine. Other times he just keeps talking about...
'Weird' is an accurate way of putting it, yeah. [ All of them are a little kooky in their own right, but Gabriel has even longer millennia of inhumanity to make him just that bit... stranger. ]
[ Of course, Adam knows as much. He’s also spoken with the archangel more often than anyone would gander to take a guess, conversations with more meaning that any particular stranger might expect of a little boy. But people who have were there that day would know better.]
I guess. [ The answer is loaded with rather personal doubt.]
Sometimes he sounds like he gets stuff. Then he’s talking about the end of the world and God again. Keeps telling me to ask Aziraphale and Crowley things. Like he thinks everyone’s keeping secrets. And he keeps saying he’s here because he’s being punished for something. Even though we’re all here too.
I think a creature like that is hard to get. [ There's the muffled sound in the background of her getting back to her cooking. Chopping up vegetables, monitoring the bubbling pot. ] Like, just by the very nature of his existence. Which isn't a free pass for him, of course, but I have to keep reminding myself that he's literal millennia old and that he didn't spend time on Earth like Aziraphale and Crowley did. The frame of reference is different.
[ I think he does for me, Anathema almost says, but bites down on that initial instinct. She understands people well enough to know that just because someone behaves one way with one person, doesn't mean they're like that with everyone. And that's just regular humans. ]
Yeah. It's tough, both for people having to deal with him and for him, too, I expect.
[ Another sudden course-correction as a thought occurs to her: ] Hey. What sort of things do you like for Christmas? Presents and stuff.
[ It's a matter of perspective and different experiences. Adam has no idea how Gabriel acts with other people, who he interacts with. What he does know is what the archangel has said to him, and not all of it had been...unpleasant. Their conversation about Violet's name had been alright. And about movies. But so many of the other times had been just...
But Adam welcomes the change in subject. It sure catches his attention. ]
Huumm, well... there's these videogames I've been looking at. There's one with this really fast rat that fights this eggplant man and his robot minions. And there's this one where this lady goes into pyramids and fights all the mummies and gets treasure.
[ He's getting more intense in his descriptions as he goes. ]
Oh, there's also this one about these robot animals that are possessed by ghosts and you gotta make sure they don't kill you, but also that they don't leave, and they're in this burger place where you work at night-
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Smart. They're the ones who know each other best, anyway. And I suppose that makes sense that Aziraphale would like it— it seems like Gabriel is absolutely wild about the holiday.
[ She mentions him unthinkingly; has grown so used to him, now, that she forgets to pause and ask first what Adam's relationship to the archangel might be like. ]
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You talk with him?
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I do, yeah. I hadn't really expected to — back home, he didn't give me much reason to think well of him — but somehow we've stayed in touch here.
What do you think of him?
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I don’t know. [ Not quite accurate, but it’s one of those kinds of answers that can both mean nothing and say all there needs to be said.]
He’s weird. And he’s always talking about the same thing. Sometimes he’s fine. Other times he just keeps talking about...
[ But he trails off.]
He’s just weird.
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He's learning. Really slowly, but still.
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I guess. [ The answer is loaded with rather personal doubt.]
Sometimes he sounds like he gets stuff. Then he’s talking about the end of the world and God again. Keeps telling me to ask Aziraphale and Crowley things. Like he thinks everyone’s keeping secrets. And he keeps saying he’s here because he’s being punished for something. Even though we’re all here too.
I don’t really get him.
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[ He's still sat on his bed with his books and whatever myriad of things he's got spread out over the covers. ]
Doesn't feel like he tries to understand anyone else, though.
LOL THIS IS SO OLD we can maybe fade on adam rambling about stuff he likes?
Yeah. It's tough, both for people having to deal with him and for him, too, I expect.
[ Another sudden course-correction as a thought occurs to her: ] Hey. What sort of things do you like for Christmas? Presents and stuff.
yup! This can be the last one
But Adam welcomes the change in subject. It sure catches his attention. ]
Huumm, well... there's these videogames I've been looking at. There's one with this really fast rat that fights this eggplant man and his robot minions. And there's this one where this lady goes into pyramids and fights all the mummies and gets treasure.
[ He's getting more intense in his descriptions as he goes. ]
Oh, there's also this one about these robot animals that are possessed by ghosts and you gotta make sure they don't kill you, but also that they don't leave, and they're in this burger place where you work at night-
[ They're gonna be here a while. ]