\nIt was a beautiful day: the sunlight was warm and the bleachers reasonably comfortable,
\nand his host didn’t have a match with Atobe for at least another half hour. Crowley
\nstretched and yawned, supremely content with just how good life was.<\/p>\n
\nIt really was a pity that things were about to get so complicated.<\/p>\n
\nThe man had been peering at passing students and his surroundings with such confusion
\nthat it was obvious that he was wildly out of place. Choutarou pegged him as a
\ntourist immediately, and felt obliged to offer his assistance (in his most careful
\nEnglish, since this man seemed to be about as non-Japanese as they came) in the
\nform of directions, or perhaps a map.<\/p>\n
\nHowever, the offer of directions had turned into a playing tour guide, with Choutarou
\ndredging up vocabulary words he didn’t remember learning and wondering how he’d
\nagreed to this. The man was very polite and very curious, and somehow Choutarou
\njust couldn’t bring himself to be rude enough to excuse himself from his newfound
\nrole. Their walking tour of the Hyoutei campus dragged on, until they fetched
\nup at the tennis courts.<\/p>\n
\nThe expression on Atobe’s face promised that he would be especially cutting in
\nregards to Choutarou’s lateness, and there was no telling what Kantoku would have
\nto say—<\/p>\n
\nExcept that Kantoku seemed more concerned with his befuddled tourist than with
\nChoutarou’s late arrival to practice.\n<\/p>\n
"What do you<\/em> want?" Kantoku demanded of the stranger.\n<\/p>\n \n"It’s lovely to see you again, too, Sakaki-san," the man said, in flawless \n"Well enough. Ohtori, go warm up," Kantoku said, crisply, and wasn’t \nThere was no chance now to find out what was going on, so Choutarou bowed and \n"What do you want?" Sakaki asked again, once the boy had left the range \n"Really, there’s no need to be rude," Aziraphale said, chidingly. "I \n"Yes, tennis," Sakaki said, and really, his chin couldn’t jut out much \n"Delightful," Aziraphale murmured. <\/p>\n \n"If you’re here because of the demon, I assure you, I have it under control," \n"You do?" Aziraphale blinked.\n<\/p>\n "Of course I do," Sakaki said. "Belial is completely focused "How shortsighted of her," Aziraphale said, torn between laughter \nThat mollified Sakaki a bit. "Thank you."<\/p>\n \n"If you don’t mind, I think I’d like to like to observe your tennis practice \n"As you like," Sakaki said, tilting his head towards the bleachers.<\/p>\n \n"Thank you kindly," Aziraphale said, and walked over to the bleachers. \nOne sleepy eye cracked open to stare at him. "What, are you trying to blow \n"There’s no time for that," Aziraphale said, urgently. <\/p>\n \n"Like hell there’s not," Crowley retorted. "Hastur’s still out \n"Worry about that later," Aziraphale said. He looked around. "Did \nCrowley winced. "She doesn’t like people to use that name," he said. "Whatever," Aziraphale said. "Crowley, Michael and Raphael \n "What the hell?" Shishido was staring when Choutarou came out of "What?" Choutarou followed the stares of his teammates to the bleachers, \n"Just leaned over and started talking to him, far as I could tell," \nJirou stood, grabbing the stranger by the wrist, and turned to call over his shoulder, \nKantoku was staring, eyes bugged out, and even Atobe seemed to be having difficulties \nFinally, Choutarou broke the silence. "What did he mean, ‘I’ll have Jirou \nNobody could give him an answer.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Aziraphale comes looking for Crowley.
\nJapanese, suddenly standing much straighter and looking much more comfortable
\nthan he’d been a moment ago. "I trust you’ve been well?" Choutarou wanted
\nvery badly to let his manners slip so that he could make a face at his formerly
\nclueless tourist, especially after the man slid his eyes sidewise and gave him
\na small smile.<\/p>\n
\nit funny that he seemed ill-at-ease?<\/p>\n
\nheaded for the clubhouse, shrugging at Shishido along the way to indicate that
\nhe didn’t have any clue.<\/p>\n
\n
\nof earshot.<\/p>\n
\nmerely happened to be in the neighborhood, and thought I’d stop by and say hello."
\nHe glanced around. "So… tennis? How fascinating."<\/p>\n
\nfurther. "And music."<\/p>\n
\nSakaki said.<\/p>\n
\n on Rikkaidai at the moment." He sniffed. "I believe<\/em> she’s
\n only interested in tennis at the moment."\n<\/p>\n
\n and gibbering. Belial<\/em> was on Earth? Up to something? On top of everything
\n else? The more he thought about it, the more attractive gibbering began to
\n seem. "How good to know you have things under control here."\n<\/p>\n
\nfor a while. It seems to be quite the fashion lately," Aziraphale said, casually.<\/p>\n
\nHe sat in the row up from the napping boy, and once Sakaki had turned his attention
\nback to his team, leaned over. "Crowley," he hissed, "wake up!
\nWe’ve got problems."<\/p>\n
\nmy cover?" Crowley replied in a whisper.<\/p>\n
\nfor my blood, you know. And my rank."<\/p>\n
\nyou know that Belial is active? Here on Earth?" he asked.<\/p>\n
\n"Use Mad Hatter instead."\n<\/p>\n
\n are down here, too, and so is the Messiah; Lucifer’s been lurking around,
\n and I’ve misplaced the Adversary<\/em>."\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n the clubhouse. "Choutarou, who is<\/em> that guy?"\n<\/p>\n
\n where Jirou was sitting bolt-upright, talking with his tourist. "I don’t
\n know. What did he do<\/em>?"\n<\/p>\n
\nMukahi said, sounding as awed as Choutarou felt.<\/p>\n
\n"Sorry, gotta run, things to do, world to save, I’ll bring Jirou back in
\ntime for Nationals, ‘bye!" and the two of them ran.<\/p>\n
\nkeeping his composure.<\/p>\n
\nback in time for Nationals’?" he asked.<\/p>\n