#I&039;m surprised they lasted this long

[rap541]

The End Of An Era, And Possibly My Hometown

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wells-college-closing-due-insufficient-173526293.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall https://www.wells.edu/closure Now, I’m not a Wells grad, or a “Wells Girl” for that matter, I’m just an ex-townie in a village of upstate New York of about 600 people and 400 college girls. Yes, Wells went coed a few years ago but when I lived there, it was an all female private college. I…

[sylwritesstuff]

039) Protect (1201)

Part of the Light to Dancing 100x100 List.

Rating: M (talk of killing and such)

—-

Spain

1481

He hadn't heard from Aziraphale in some time. It happened, of course, for two beings who were virtually always busy. If one head office wasn't issuing orders, the other was. Or, unfortunately, they both were. Their Arrangement had become a very good excuse for Crowley to pop in on him more and more, but it had taken thousands of years. 

It would probably take thousands more at this rate. 

Ah, well. He was a demon, after all. He knew how to keep himself entertained and did take great pleasure in moving around and amongst humans. They were almost a full century away from the dreaded fourteenth and nothing could be better. 

Until he felt it.

A stirring in the air that whispered that something dangerous was about to happen. It was normally exciting, but not when it felt like this. Aziraphale was in some sort of trouble again. Someone had threatened his life. 

He vanished, quick as a whip, and found himself in a dungeon. Damp, dark, reeking of human filth and sorrow. There was one spot of hope in the whole place, brightening up the dingy space, and Crowley sauntered towards it. Hope was filling another cell, though it was softer, and it died the moment Crowley made his presence known. 

So did the soft Spanish whispering, the angel rising. "Oh, Crowley, why am I not surprised to see a demon here?" Then he paused and seemed to think better of it. "Actually, why are you here?" 

He shrugged loftily, lifting a hand and touching the crude lock on the angel's cell. It fell away. "I was in the area. How'd you get yourself locked in a jail cell?" 

"It's complicated."

"Try me."

"Well, I..." There was jingling, soft whispers, and Crowley whisked Aziraphale to the shadows so they could hide. 

The jailors spoke sternly of God as they strolled through, and Crowley watched Aziraphale's expression pinch. And then he gasped, grabbing Crowley's arm when they opened the cell of the young lady across from Aziraphale's former cell. "You must stop them! Right away, please!" 

Crowley arched a brow, but lifted a hand in a snap. They all froze. "What's going on, angel?" 

"The Spanish Inquisition," he whispered, making Crowley's brows lift. 

"Isn't that one of your side's things? How'd you get caught up in it?" 

He pressed his lips together, wringing his hands.

"Aziraphale," Crowley pressed. 

"It's not right. You know people of any faith can make it into Heaven just so long as they are good and kind people."

"Boring, you mean. Hell gets the fun ones."

Aziraphale shook his head. The merits of Heaven and Hell regarding the human souls that ended up in each were long. Each were what humans made of them, though Hell tended to be a bit more difficult to maneuver right away. Unless the human was truly very evil. Most of them ended up having a really awful time. 

"Come on. Use your words, angel. How'd you end up here? One miracle and you'd be home."

"I mustn't. I'm not even supposed to be here."

"What?" 

He sighed. "It's misguided and wrong, but they're doing this in honor of the Almighty so, well, my head office sent me a letter. I'm to leave the inquisition alone and let it last as long as it likes. Well, as long as it's in the name of God anyway." 

"So why're you here if you're s'posed to leave it be?" 

"I... They burned six people alive, Crowley. Very innocent people. I'm here to, perhaps, turn a few cheeks and calm some undue hatred?" 

"Against orders."

Aziraphale's chin lifted. "I'm not using any miracles."

"That's what the problem is?" Sighing heavily, Crowley walked around the guards and the terrified woman they were dragging off, and stopped. "She's pregnant."

"Yes, I know. We were just discussing it. She's a former Jew who found she rather liked the idea of Christ and so converted and married a Christian man. He... Well, sadly, there was an accident. As a widow, she's had to ask her family for help while expecting their child and now she's being accused of... of falsifying her Christianity. They're going to torture her."

Crowley arched a brow. "Is she a fake Christian?" 

"No. So, you see, it's horrid. They'll put her into early labor, Crowley. I've been trying to soothe her, but..."

"Right. And how'd you end up in here?" 

"I was... speaking against the Inquisition and the wrong people may have overheard me."

"May have."

Aziraphale pouted. "Don't poke fun, Crowley. This has been very serious."

"Alright, alright." He lifted both hands, snapping his fingers, and the guards moved again. He abruptly switched to Spanish. "Right. You two. Take this lady upstairs, make sure she has a warm bath and some other woman with her. Then you're going to leave her be."

The guards nodded and the woman just looked confused. "Why do you do this?" 

"You've been exonerated. It's a miracle."

"Oh, thank you. Thank you, sir."

Crowley waved them away and sauntered back to Aziraphale. There was gratitude in his smile, but worry behind his eyes. "There are so many more people. I don't-" 

Another upwards snap had them in England and Aziraphale plucked almost nervously at his sleeve. Fidgeting wasn't something he did often. "Crowley, please, I must-" 

"What? You think you're gonna stop a whole government program without any miracles? You? By yourself?" 

"I- Well..."

"And d'you know the scope of the miracle it would take to stop it now? I can't do that and not get in actual trouble. It's in the better interests of both of our sides to keep it going."

"But-" 

"But I can lessen it." Crowley arched a brow at Aziraphale's shocked little stutter of a noise. 

"But you're a demon. Why would you-?" 

"Oh, shut it. What would I do if you got discorporated or punished? They'd start keeping a closer eye on you."

Aziraphale frowned, still looking wholly unconvinced. 

"Or I can leave it to fuck all and let everyone die."

The angel sighed. Crowley would never admit, not for an instant, that he was only doing this to keep him safe. He didn't want to lose the idiot. "Alright, Crowley. I... I suppose I can trust you this time. You'll do what you can to stop it?" 

He'd lessen it where he could. Maybe influence a pope to threaten them. He'd have to actually invest some time into it, which was annoying. He didn't want to do it. "Yes. I'll do what I can."

Aziraphale smiled, folding his hands. "Oh, thank you. I hate the thought of so much suffering for no good reason."

"Oh, yeah? God's no good reason?" he teased. 

"Oh! Now you know that isn't what I meant, just as you know that isn't the real reason. They're just saying it is and none of my memos have had any effect."

"Memos? How stuck up its own arse is Heaven?" Crowley rolled his eyes and stepped back. "See you around, angel. Stay out of Spain."

"I'll try, I suppose. Good luck."

Crowley tossed him a look over his shoulder, brow arched, and vanished before he could smile.