010 | Private Audio to assorted residents | Day 117

[tryingitall]

[Things suddenly got complicated. Crowley is a manageable annoyance, as far as Balthazar is concerned. He's been here before. Michael, though...

Honestly, he'd rather have Lucifer back, and he feels just a bit guilty for it.

The net result is that he's on edge and worrying what this means for certain friends and acquaintances around town.]

Private to Donna

I'd like to visit as soon as possible, if I may. Some of the new arrivals are...look, let me come and set up some warding for you, please, love?

to Ellen

Do you know how to angel-proof? Might want to consider it. We've got a volatile situation.

to Raphael

Have you met the boy with Dean's face? Alec. How close to Dean's genetic makeup is he, do you suppose, and what, if anything, ought we to do about cutting off potential trouble there before it starts? [Because he can't see Alec being anything but obnoxious toward Michael, and probably rather incautious, as well.]

to Castiel

[A brief, simple audio:] Cassi? Do me a favor and don't do anything foolish.

to Mina and Fortescue

Hello! I've been distracted by our new arrivals. If you're not worried, you should be. But I've promised to introduce you to one another. Would you be available to meet at the library after dusk? I can explain more then.

Comments

[noblexcompanion]

It's not where I keep my knickers. Sorry. But if you're really interested they're in that drawer over there. [ She points to the top drawer of the chest of drawers. ]

The cupboard doesn't have much in. Just junk, mostly. You know, one of those cupboards you chuck all the clutter in? We've got one at home under the stairs.

[ She sets to work emptying the clutter out, stacking it in a corner to sort through at a later date. She'll probably throw it all in the attic since there's no one living up there. ]

[tryingitall]

Oh, that's all right. I'll wait for the opportunity to see them on you. [He chuckles softly and crouches next to her to help her remove things.]

I've never had clutter. I haven't stayed in one place for any length of time, so far.

Actually, I suppose House 11 is the place I've stayed the longest, other than Heaven.

[noblexcompanion]

Is it selfish of me to hope that House 11 is where you'll be for a long time yet?

[ The thought of him not being here isn't one she likes.

But at least the cupboard is empty! ]

[tryingitall]

Only a little, and in a way I highly approve of. [He smiles and leans in to nuzzle her cheek, then moves to nab the paint and brush he's brought.]

Honestly, I've been happier here than I can remember being, which is strange when it's such an unpredictable place. If it would just arrange not to tear away the people I like, I wouldn't even complain.

[noblexcompanion]

I get what you mean though. It's dangerous and people vanish willy-nilly but there's something quite special about this place.

Maybe because we're so far removed from the boring mundane of everyday life like work and stuff.

[ She stands back to give him space to work, watching him with interest. ]

[tryingitall]

Yes. Yes, I think that's it... [He muses quietly as he begins painting the designs. They're a bit like heiratic, elegant symbols with indeterminate meanings, something halfway between picture and writing.]

The issues that caught us up in our own worlds are put aside for the moment. Mostly.

[noblexcompanion]

[ She smiles. All the bad parts aside, this place has some amazing parts.

The designs are definitely interesting. Donna's intrigued. ]

So those pictures. Are those that Enochian stuff you talked about? Angel language? It's pretty. I imagine it'd take awhile to write a book in it.

[tryingitall]

That's right, yes. The written form has different grammatical rules from the spoken form. Stricter, since what's written normally stays. One has to be careful with the nuances of a spell.

I've never seen a book written in it, to be honest. Perhaps I'll translate one of Chuck's some time.

[noblexcompanion]

You angels don't half make it difficult on yourselves. Angels and Time Lords should go head to head for the award of most difficult language in the history of forever or sommat.

Not sure who would win. Both seem pretty complicated.

[tryingitall]

I haven't asked the Doctor about his language yet. Perhaps we ought to compare notes. [He gives her a brief, impish grin, then goes back to painting. His writing is fast and fluid, but it's possible he's known among angels to have messy cursive.]

Perhaps it's something to do with age. Things get more complex as they get older? Except I find humans quite complicated, as well.

[noblexcompanion]

Pft. Humans aren't nearly as complex as flippin' Angels and Time Lords.

[ But humans are rather complex creatures. ]

So, what do the doodles actually do? How do they keep killer angels out?

[tryingitall]

Individually? No, you're probably right. As a whole, though, they're rather bewildering. All that free will. [He pauses to give her a gentle smile.]

I suppose you could think of it like lines of code in a computer program. There are Words that hold the world together. If you know them, in the right sequence, you can make changes here and there. Mind you, Enochian as a language is a mere descendant of the original Word, but it still has power. So do human languages, for that matter, for those that know how to use it.

[noblexcompanion]

We've not made a very good job of putting that free will to much use though, have we? I mean we've made a right mess of the world so far, haven't we?

[ She continues to watch him work. It's beautiful. He's beautiful. ]

So, it's like a Firewall keeping viruses out?

[tryingitall]

Perhaps, but you do question yourselves. Whether you're doing the right thing, whether things can be better, for one person or many people. What the world around you means. Whether there's a world beyond what you can see and feel.

Doubt is exhausting to an angel. We're not built to question, I don't think. Sometimes it seems like it's most of what humans do. I find that fascinating.

[His brush strokes slow for a moment, then go back to the rapid sweeping patterns. At this rate, he'll be done in another minute or two.]

Yes, that's a suitable analogy. A firewall.

[noblexcompanion]

I guess all species have their flaws and their strengths...

Apart from wasps. Seriously, all I can see are negatives there. What positives is there to a wasp's existence?

[ And just like that Donna veers off topic. ]

[tryingitall]

[He could probably come up with an answer for that, but instead he blinks at her from inside the cupboard, then laughs warmly and backs out, placing the brush in her hand.]

You know, I rather like it when you veer off on a tangent. I've done all I can here. I need you to paint a straight vertical line through the circle in the back left corner.

[noblexcompanion]

You must be the only one. Most people get sick of me waffling on.

[ She takes hold of the paintbrush and steps into the cupboard to paint the line. ]

So, does this mean no cheeky make-out sessions in the closet now?

[tryingitall]

I don't know, it's rather charming, I think. You don't mind me laughing? It's meant with affection, I promise.

[Gabriel does similar conversational acrobatics, actually, only in his case it seems far more deliberate and designed to confuse. Donna just seems to have a limited filter between brain and mouth, but so far he finds it cute rather than annoying.]

And no, no making out in that closet. If you've got another one, I'm game.

[noblexcompanion]

You're not the first guy to laugh at me - one of the cutest though.

[ Limited filter? That's pretty generous. Sometimes it's as though there is no filter at all. It leads to all kinds of inane ramblings and plenty of instances of foot-in-mouth-itis.

Stepping back out of the closet, she bops the paintbrush against his nose. ]

Who says we need a closet?

[tryingitall]

[He rubs the bridge of his nose with a snort of mock-indignance.] Well, don't paint me!

[He glances at the cupboard one last time, nods, and caps the paint, taking the brush away before she can do any damage with it.] It'll do. On to more pleasant topics, then?

[Expression softening a little, he reaches over to run fingers through her hair.] No closet, then. What's your choice of venue?

[noblexcompanion]

[ It's Donna's turn to laugh now. Though she soon bites her lip to get herself to stop.

She looks up at him as he toys with her hair. ]

There's a perfectly good bed right here...

[tryingitall]

So there is. [He leans in and brushes his lips softly against her forehead.]

And I'm sorry to say, if you prefer a bed, it'll have to be yours. I keep giving my sleeping quarters away.

[noblexcompanion]

You're welcome to come by my bed any time you like. Can't have an angel with no place to lay his halo, can we?

[ And if cuddling, kissing and more happen to take place in said bed, well... that's just a bonus. ]

[tryingitall]

It's not really my halo you're interested in, though. [Smiling, he rises and takes her hands, pulling her up and backing her lazily toward her bed.]

Are you sure you want this, now?

[noblexcompanion]

[ Her cheeks burn in a bright blush and she opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. Congratulations, Balthazar. You've left her speechless. ]

... Do you?