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[bookshopped]

[Generally speaking, Aziraphale doesn't always notice some of the chaos that goes on in this strange new world. It comes with being an immortal being in a way. Things happen and times move on, and often enough it's barely a blip on the radar in the grand scheme of things.

That said, even he hasn't missed the chaos going on right now.]

It... really seems as if the strange activity has reached a peak these days, doesn't it?

[Monsters, zombies, newly appeared ruins, strange... well, everything.]

Is this normal for this world? Did we simply have a quiet summer? Or is this level of strangeness out of the ordinary?

[The angel would like to know how much fretting he should actually be doing, and if he needs to be worrying about his friends and loved ones. If there are steps he should be taking to make sure they're all right.

All very concerning.

And. Well.]

Do we expect it to last very long? Out of concern for the populace -- imPort and local alike -- of course. But also, well, I do have a wedding to plan.

[So. Don't mind how pleased he sounds by that despite all the fretting that has been in the rest of this post. Look, he's very concerned for everyone's well being, but he also is ready to start doing tastings for wedding cake. And picking out flowers. He's getting married and he's very excited and very proud.

Someone introduce him to Pinterest.]

Comments

[hatestrashcans]

[ Marco just... stares at him. ]

SERIOUSLY?!

[bookshopped]

[A slow confused blink.]

I'm sorry?

[hatestrashcans]

Dude, when I'm the one telling you to have a little tact and empathy, something is royally fucked up.

Maybe when people are dying and the fabric of the universe is de-stabilizing there are more important things than your fucking wedding going on, Jesus Christ.

Because fun fact: If everybody zombifies or the universe implodes or explodes or some sort of plodes nobody is going to be making you wedding cake.

[bookshopped]

Ah, I see. Then I should apologize. That was very far from what I meant to imply at all.

[And he does look concerned. Is concerned. But he's also seen terrible crises throughout time, and they're painful and awful and then they pass.]

I meant my concern. But I meant the question of its normalcy or non-normalcy too. Since I've arrived, odd and dangerous things continue to happen. Over and over again. If this is indeed that far out of the ordinary, then what can be done to help it?

[Because Aziraphale certainly doesn't know.]

[hatestrashcans]

Right. Right. Not human. Sorry. It's hard. You look human. And you're a way better actor then Ax in human morph ever was.

Look, when you're part of a community and bad things are happening to that community- at least imminently- it's just kind of bad form to say your wedding is equal to people's lives.

[bookshopped]

I didn't say that.

[A startled expression.]

It certainly isn't even close, and I wouldn't dream of equating the two. It's simply a bright spot in my life despite the darkness, that I didn't see the harm in mentioning, even in trying times. Perhaps it wasn't right to bring it up. Again, I am sorry for causing any strife for speaking of it.

[hatestrashcans]

It's more the phrasing. The 'but, also, well'. It's very flippant. Trust me: I do flippant on purpose.

[ Marco might be an asshole, but it's on purpose. He knows the reactions he's getting out of people. ]

You, on the other hand, are always earnest, so it came off as even worse because unlike me, you don't joke about these things.

[bookshopped]

I've apologized for it already, I think, but again if that is the way it came across, I am sorry. Hardly my intent, but intent only counts for so much, and I do realize that. I can't unsay the words, sadly.

[Aziraphale is not sure what else Marco wants from him at this point. Especially since they're going over and over his language instead of any input on his actual concerns that he voiced. So he's at a loss as to where to go. He sighs.]

It wasn't a joke no, just a small personal happiness.

[hatestrashcans]

Oh, I was just trying to explain, that was all. I believe your apology.

Okay, well, enjoy your wedding then I guess.

[bookshopped]

I see.

Thank you.

Private;

[goodtobebad]

Angel.... you know how sensitive these humans can get when bad things happen to them.

Private;

[bookshopped]

Of course. And there seems to be a surge in those bad things.

[Dismayingly so.] But thus far all the things that happen seem to be relatively temporary, here. The strange crystals, the disappearing moon, the lot of it. I wonder if this is all similar.

Re: Private;

[goodtobebad]

Oh, probably. But they won’t see it that way. Everything is the end of the world - there are humans who’ve been predicting it for thousands of years.

Private;

[bookshopped]

I doubt those strange messages earlier this month help either. Very doom and gloom prophecy, in the end.

[A faint little smile.] Ms. Nutter did a better job of it, if I had to give a critique.

Private;

[goodtobebad]

And had fewer spiders, too.

They also had the advantage of being true.

Private;

[bookshopped]

Prophecies are better the fewer arachnids are involved. I'm fairly sure there's scientific literature to that effect somewhere.

[That said.]

I fear you're right though. I meant the concern, but I think my excitement may have gotten the better of me mentioning.

Private;

[goodtobebad]

Nah, you’re fine. Someone’s just being an oversensitive shit.

Once all this has died down though, we will have to start cake tasting.

Private;

[bookshopped]

Yes, I suppose we will.

[Don't mind that he sounds a bit distracted. He's gone and gotten upset now.]

Private;

[goodtobebad]

[ Well, now Crowley is pissed. He’ll be writing an angry letter to Marco shortly. ]

Hey. You know American Thanksgiving is coming up soon? A whole holiday, just for eating!

Private;

[bookshopped]

[All right. He'll crack a faint smile at that, because he sees what you're doing there, Crowley.]

Is that right? I think there may ostensibly some other purpose to it, but I have heard of it.

[Has he told the demon lately that he loves him? He should probably see to doing that, for good measure.]

Private;

[goodtobebad]

Theoretically, sure, but you know humans. Any excuse to eat a big meal.

[ That's right, angel. Smile! It'll be all right. ]

[the_horror]

[He stares for a moment, then sighs] I don't know if this is normal or not, but it sure is a pain in the back side. Everything is a mess and people need to stay in doors.

That said, what's this about a wedding?

[bookshopped]

Quite a mess, yes. I've seen that myself. I wish I knew some way to help, but I'm afraid this is very much out of my usual expertise.

[His usual expertise is minor miraculous meddling and sometimes Armageddon and that's about it.]

But ah yes! A wedding! There's going to be one, at some point, though we've hardly set a date yet. Crowley did say yes, however, so there's that much.

[the_horror]

I take it even angel healing is no match for a zombie virus?

[Not a lot was, it seemed. Even the nanites the government gave them wasn't able to do anything.]

I see, so you were the one to propose? That's really lovely. You two seem to have known each other for a while.

[That was clear the day Crowley was fretting over the angel being sick due to stones.]

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[bookkeeper]

Oh, hey! Wedding buddies. You guys set a date yet?

Video

[bookshopped]

Not as of yet, no. Too much is going on at the moment.

But congratulations to you, on your pending marriage. Have you chosen a date?

[bookkeeper]

Right back at you—congrats! We should all get a drink. Not now, but when this shitshow is over.

Date? That’s about as up in the air as yours, unfortunately.

[bookshopped]

That sounds wonderful. But yes, after all this has settled.

[A pause.] Or taken a temporary hiatus, as trouble seems as common as weather around here.

Well, dates can always be picked. Though it is tricky, isn't it? Have you been together long?

[Here's Aziraphale who is always up for hearing a love story if he has the chance.]

[bookkeeper]

Great! I’ll let Elena know. I doubt she’ll say no. Been a while since we’ve done any kind of a double date. Or, actually, ever. Huh.

Pretty tricky, yeah. [ A quiet chuckle. ] Something always comes up and we end up having to push the date further and further back. Not that it matters, we have all the time in the world. [ Aha... right. They can ignore the Porter taking people away in the blink of an eye thing. ]

How long have we been together? Christ, it’s been... a while. Feels like forever. What about you two?

[bookshopped]

[The Porter is very much the elephant in the room for so many people here. Aziraphale at least is fortunate in that it's one thing he doesn't worry about too much. Yet anyway.]

That does seem to be the way around here. Always something coming up, and something dangerous more often than not. At least back home, Armageddon only happened the once so far. Everything else has been rather minor, by comparison.

[More or less.] But ah! Well. In any official capacity, not all that long. It took us longer than it perhaps should have to sort ourselves out properly. [But they did! And that's what matters.] But we've known each other for six thousand years, give or take.

[bookkeeper]

Armageddon? Say what? I mean there’ve been a few instances where we’ve had to keep a world ending artifact or two out of the wrong hands, but Armageddon actually happening? That’s insane.

[ Nathan Drake: Mind Blown. Who the hell is he talking to again?? ]

Hold on hold on—six thousand years? You two are really putting us to shame. Holy shit. What did you say your name was?

[bookshopped]

Well, it started, but thankfully it was undone before it got to the point of no return. Very thankfully. Earth is a wonderful place.

[They were lucky that the Antichrist turned out to be a delightful young boy who was oh so very human at heart, where it mattered.]

Yes, right, I'm sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Aziraphale. I don't believe I've caught your name either.

[bookkeeper]

How? What’s the story behind that?

[ Drake likes a good story. He’s in this for the long haul. ]

Nate. Short for Nathan Drake.

So, you said earlier something about six thousand years. What era are you from?

[governorkang]

Normal is relative around here. Though, this is the first time we've had interdimensional issues and things are happening quite a bit more frequently than they used to.

It sounds like congratulations are in order. You and Crowley?

[bookshopped]

Then the pattern is changing. That's worrying. Or could be, if it continues to escalate especially.

[Difficult to say?

But he manages a little smile. He's been properly scolded for mentioning it, but he's still happy about the engagement thing even with everything else going on.]

And yes. Thank you. It was a bit of a spur of the moment engagement, though I'm not sure we can really say that after six thousand years.

[governorkang]

We did receive that worrying message that's got something to do with the church in Jeopardy and possibly the Fates.

[Hey, he understands that marriage is important to a lot of other races (though he himself still doesn't get it), and really, when it comes to imPorts, when is a good time to plan a wedding?]

I think that's a more than long enough courtship.

[bookshopped]

And spiders, yes.

[Spider church. As an angel, he has seen and heard of many churches throughout human history. He can definitively say he is not fond of the spider one.]

Do you think there's validity to that message? We don't really have any firm ideas on the source of it do we?

[The angel ducks his head with a laugh.] Yes, I think so too.

[governorkang]

No one's been able to trace it as of yet. That alone makes it something that shouldn't be so easily dismissed.

text;

[thecacophony]

[Since that subject called sensitivity has already been tossed aside (thankfully by someone else).]

Why wait for things to calm down? Shouldn't the chaos and calamity be an excuse to just get it done with?

[anormie]

[Sorry but Ella is just going to squeak the words:]

You have a wedding to plan?!