angels in the architecture

[tryingitall]

Who: Balthazar and open!
Where: The library, the kitchen, and assorted other mansion locations.
When: Monday
Rating: Probably PG?
Summary: Balthazar is in need of distraction. I have two scenarios here, but feel free to bump into him in the halls in between locations, if you're so inclined. I'm game for other ideas, too.



He finds it somewhat vexing how difficult the library is to locate on any given day. He's found it once before, although he wasn't especially motivated to peruse the contents then. Why bother, when he could ask his closet for any book he has in mind?

The flaw in this theory, Balthazar eventually realizes, is there are books out there he doesn't know he wants. Books about art history, for example. Having latched onto the idea of setting up a miniature gallery in his rooms, he's determined to follow through, but he needs more information. Examples. Ideas.

After a couple hours of wandering the halls, he finally finds the place and ducks inside with a grumble of relief. Now, of course, the problem is how to find what he's looking for within the library itself. No one ever taught him the Dewey Decimal System, if indeed that's even how the place is organized. But he has all the time in the world, so he'll begin at the beginning and wind his way through the stacks for as long as it takes.





When he began walking again, he wasn't aware he was headed for the kitchen, but once he arrives there he decides to stay and experiment. Angels don't need to eat, but Balthazar has developed a taste for one or two things aside from alcoholic drinks. Certain sweets. Well-brewed tea. Vegetarian dishes spiked with fiery sauces and spice. There's a cookbook open on the counter, possibly left behind by someone else, and he finds himself thumbing through it as the kettle heats. It's mostly baked desserts, and he's about to lose interest when one page catches his eye.

'Fried cheesecake bites'. Fried cheesecake? Fried cheesecake. It sounds like the unholy offspring of Sara Lee and a county fair funnel cake vendor.

He's not sure if he'll like it himself, but he's willing to bet Death would. Assuming he could somehow pull off the dish. After the recent TV land fiasco, it might be smart to make nice.

It can't hurt to try, anyway. He scans the ingredients list with a frown and goes for the refrigerator.

Comments

[manicuredangel]

"Ah... Yes... That would be correct." He dithers slightly, distracted by the faint hint of wings. "Oh! Yes, of course. Please do."

[tryingitall]

Balthazar slides into a nearby chair, with no sign of having to struggle to cram the wings in behind him. The shadows vanish when he moves, at any rate. "I'm sorry, is this awkward? I just...enjoy having family here. Mostly."

So, Lucifer's a bit scary, but that's one out of at least four. He'll take those odds. "What are you reading?"

[manicuredangel]

How very odd. He's rather used to wings that are solid and not shadowy hints of wings. He rather likes his plumage, even if it is a bit of a mess.

"No, no... You're fine, dear. I'm, er... I'm rather unused to seeing others of our kind on Earth... Or whatever this place can be called. It's usually just me."

He glanced at the cover of the book he'd been reading. "Ah... It's a novel. Stardust seems to be its name."

[tryingitall]

"Wonderland. I'm not sure it counts as Earth or earthlike, even," Balthazar muses softly. "But it's not Heaven, either, by a long shot. Just you, though?"

Crossing his ankles, he frowns slightly. "Isn't that hard, to be alone on the planet's surface?" He wasn't exactly alone, himself, but he was out of contact with everyone. It was very difficult.

Tilting his head to try and read the back cover, he nods. "I haven't read many novels. I'm behind, I guess."

[manicuredangel]

"Yes, just me. At least of our sort. Of course, Hell has it's representative. I keep an eye on him, as it were." He shrugged slightly. "It suits me well enough. I send in my reports in a timely fashion and I'm left to my own devices for the most part."

He offered the book to Balthazar. "I, er... I have a bit of a collection of books I've gathered over the centuries..."

[tryingitall]

"Hell has a number of representatives where I'm from." Balthazar makes a face, a mild grimace of mixed distaste and resignation. Where demons are concerned, he's actually one of the most mellow of his siblings, but that doesn't mean he free from prejudice.

"You know, there are a number of my brothers here. Just to warn you." He accepts the book and reads the front and back flaps quickly. "A romance? That sounds a bit charming...do you like it so far?"

[manicuredangel]

"Typically we only have the one much like I am typically the only representative of Heaven. Sometimes others show up from both sides, but Crowley and I are the only residents." He pronounced Crowley with the "ow" part sounding more like "crow" and not like "cow".

"I, er... I appreciate the warning. I don't like getting so taken by surprise, you know. Admittedly, coming here in the first place has rather thrown me off balance. If it weren't for this library, I don't know what I'd do."

He smiled fondly at the book. "Yes, it's a lovely story. Quite the adventure."

[tryingitall]

"...Crowley?" He repeats, one eyebrow going up. "We've got one of those, too. Must be a popular name among demons. The one I know crowned himself King of Hades not long ago. I can't decide whether I like him or not."

He's leaning toward not, these days, but to be fair Crowley hasn't done anything overtly awful that he knows about. Not in Wonderland.

"Castiel and Gabriel can be difficult in their way, but they probably won't give you much trouble. I'm...not sure what to say about Lucifer." He strokes the spine of the book thoughtfully, tempted to read a couple pages. But it might be more polite to wait until Aziraphale's done, so he hands it back after a moment.

[manicuredangel]

"Oh yes... I've heard about him. Crowley doesn't seem very... pleased with the use of his name. My Crowley is simply a field agent. He caused some ruckus in Eden, but he was simply doing his job, I suppose."

"I've, er... I've met Lucifer. He and I had a conversation."