IC CONTACT - DRIFT FLEET

[onlyanapple]

Hi, this is Anthony Crowley. Uh, I’m probably not in right now, or asleep, and busy, or something, but leave a message after the tone and I’ll get right back to you. Ciao. BeeeEEeeeEEeee.



[Voice][Text][Action]

FROM: SUBJECT: FIE did you hear about the guy... FIE the past, the present, and the future walk into a bar... it was tense FIE did you know babies are cooked at womb temperature? JAYDEN Happy dawning WOLFE Ten months late for work FIE You're doing a grape job with your bar. FIE Your decor remains fruitiful. FIE You have a bluetiful establishment. FIE Thank blue for the service. ALLEN Okay Castiel's been in the fleet several days and you haven't turned up in my quarters drunk... ANDERS I just wanted you to know that you've ruined my happy home life. ALLEN Crowley ALLEN Crowley I have some really good news!! ALLEN I got a bottle of Varric's newest product NANAKO Crowley I hope you've been doing ok! FELIX This planet is miserable ALEX PRESENT COMBO BREAKER INO Meet me at Allen's room -- ALLEN Ino's birthday is the 23rd INO So not only did I get Allen TWO different dates that he ENJOYED... ALLEN I haven't seen any magazines appear in my room lately. INO Alright, I need you to help me with something. ALLEN Who's Adam? INO Alright, you win. We're dating. ALLEN You're okay, right? INO You are SO dead the next time I see you ALLEN CROWLEY I THINK INO'S FOUND ANOTHER GUY

TO: SUBJECT: SAM Got something I need you to do for me. NAMI Sam's in the garden and he's being weird ALLEN ACTION TEK ACTION INO Okay so Sudden pop quiz question ALLEN You've been on two whole dates now and haven't even reported back to me once. INO Someone stole your face

inboxcode by cawaii

Comments

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley places it back down on the table, for Allen to examine, if he feels the desire. He turns his attention to the note, opening it to read.

If it were anyone else, than Allen (or possibly Felix) he would have done it alone. In private. But Allen has known him for far too long. He knows the fact Crowley puts on for the world at large isn't what he really is. That the demon isn't as heartless as he'd like people to believe him to be.

He gives a soft, sad noise as he reads. Somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. He puts it down, when he's finished. ]

Just like her to make it all emotional.

[save_the_souls]

[ Allen stays silent as he reads. First he pretends to examine the wine bottle, then he reaches back into his bag and pulls out his own wrapped package- still unopen, and examines that. Anything to make Crowley not feel like he's being watched during this.

He hadn't read the letter Ino wrote for Crowley. As far as he was concerned, whatever was on those pages were just between Ino and Crowley. Even if he could take a guess what they might say- Ino wasn't exactly secretive about her opinions. ]

Yeah...that's how she is. She never held back on that.

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley appreciates it, he really does. Even if he's more willing to drop the act around Allen, it doesn't mean he doesn't relish the chance to avoid it sometimes. He sighs, folding the letter and putting it in an inner suit pocket. ]

No. It was fairly obnoxious, really.

[He sits back, frowning.]

Not many of us left, are there? Who remember Paradisa.

[save_the_souls]

Not many, yeah...

I think it's just...you, me and Felix at this point, I think.

[onlyanapple]

I'm honestly not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

It nearly died, you know. The castle.

[save_the_souls]

[He looks surprised at that]

It did? Like the other castles?

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley nods, playing a little with the bottle on the table. ]

It was after I left. Felix said more and more people just left, and it got weak. Something about a power-battle with the other castles? I don't know.

Regardless, it very almost died. They refilled it with people from some other castle - not sure on the details, I didn't ask him. He didn't seem all that thrilled by it.

[save_the_souls]

[...]

So you're saying...there's more people still trapped there? And that's how Felix got out?

[NOT SURE HOW TO FEEL ABOUT THAT]

[onlyanapple]

Hm. Seems there was a whole other castle in that world already populated the whole time we were there, and we never found it.

[Neither does Crowley, really. He can tell Felix feels awful about it, it's why he hasn't pressed the matter, honestly.]

Apparently the castle gave everyone a key to a door in their rooms. The door apparently opened home, and would take them there. Gratitude for the new blood, I expect.

[He gives a shrug. ]

Clearly, the whole thing was a massive fucking lie because he went though his door and ended up here. Seems it screwed with everyone right to the end.

[save_the_souls]

[So sacrifices to get out. It makes Allen a little sick to think about...but on the other hand, it's not like he knows the full situation. Maybe the other people were happy to live in the castle. He knows there were a lot of people who preferred the castle over their old homes. Or if they didn't save the castle from dying, they'd go the same way that the dead castle had...he'll never forget all those skeletons. Maybe it was the lesser of two evils.

Still, it wasn't something he liked to think about. May the current population be faring better than theirs did....God.

But there's not much he can say about it, so he tries to focus on the rest of the conversation. That Felix got a key that was supposed to be opened up to home but instead came here...

He gives a snort]

I don't know. He did find you again, didn't he?

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley knows Felix would have done all her could to make it work. To make it so as few people suffered as he could. As much as the man liked to pretend otherwise, he cared too damn much about those around him. Still. It hardly mattered. It was done.

His smile softens a little at Allen's comment, a soft huff of amusement escaping him. ]

...Yeah. I suppose he did. Lucky him.

[There was the fear, there always was. That'd Crowley would wake up one morning and Felix would just be...gone. That was always a possibility for all of them. As much as any of them could enjoy their lives here- that dark cloud would always be somewhere on the horizon.

But he'd be damned again if he wasn't grateful for the universe catching him a break on that one. ]

[save_the_souls]

Lucky him, indeed.

[The softening expression on Crowley's face makes Allen smile a little. He didn't know all the details of his and Felix's relationship, he never asked. But it wasn't hard to see that they cared a great deal for each other. Crowley, as much as he pretended at otherwise, was very prone to love. He's seen it happen with him a few times now, and here it was again.

Which...Allen was glad to see it. Crowley deserved happiness. He deserved a lot more than what the universe often handed him. And Felix clearly brought him a great deal of happiness, even if it couldn't be forever...

Allen looks down at the box he's holding, still unopened.]

...Did Ino ever tell you about how we got tattoos?

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley really felt he needed that love thing sorted out, honestly. It happened more to him than he'd like. He was sure some demonic-antibiotics would clear that right up. There were demon antibiotics, right? There had to be.

But then again. It's given him something real, every time. He's enjoyed it, as much as he feels it's probably unnatural. He's always been a law unto himself, after all. ]

What? No. How did I miss this story?

[save_the_souls]

[He snorts at that reaction]

Don't get too excited. It's not anything embarrassing.

[NO DRUNKEN TATS HERE SORRY UNCLE.]

We were at those casino waystations, about a year ago? I decided to get a tattoo on a whim and convinced her to get one too.

Anyway, she decided to get one of some sakura flowers. I thought she was getting it to remember her friend, but she said in that flower language of hers, it means transience. That there's a beauty of something only lasting so long, and to appreciate it while you have it...

...It's a good reminder to have.

[onlyanapple]

[No drunken tats? That's just disappointing. He's about to make comment on that, when he hears the story, and his expression softens a little. ]

Huh. You know, I think I can get behind an idea like that. Enjoying what you have while you have it.

[save_the_souls]

Yeah, it's a good way to look at things. Especially in a place like this.

[If you spend all your time thinking about how you'll lose things...you'll miss out. The grief of losing someone was painful, but pain was just part of being really alive.]

Maybe next time we're near a tattoo parlor, I'll get a sakura flower for my own reminder. [Of Ino, of the lessons she taught] Sure I'll have some new leg scars to cover up from all this anyway!

[....Only Allen would say that cheerfully]

[onlyanapple]

Or life in general, I expect.

[Though maybe it's different for mortals. He's not sure. ]

Well, you might as well.

[He pulls a face at that, it isn't funny, Allen. ]

Yes, well if you weren't all...exorcist-y, I'd heal the bloody things away.

[save_the_souls]

[What come on Crowley it's just some burns it's fine!! He shrugs]

It's fine, don't worry. I'd get way too many questions if I went back to my ship all healed. People might end up asking you to do stuff.

[The horror. You being expected to help people out]

Besides, Stefan had me drink some healing blood! That alone cut the expected time in half!

[onlyanapple]

Ugh, that's true. I really hate having to do stuff.

[He pulls a face. It's bad enough that he heals people he gives a crap about sometimes, gosh. ]

...Healing blood. Hope that didn't inadvertently turn you into a vampire. You have enough weirdness in your life already.

[save_the_souls]

I know you do.

[Don't worry Crowley. Allen will keep letting you be lazy]

Don't worry, I'm still human. Blood sounds disgusting-

- Though speaking of, is your cook still here?

[GUESS WHO IS HUNGRY AGAIN]

[onlyanapple]

Well, that's a relief.

[All is right in the world, Allen's hungry again. Crowley smiles.]

Dezel? Probably. He doesn't go many places.

[save_the_souls]

[YEP THE CRISIS TIME HAS PRICED]

Okay, then can you have him cook up something please? I think I've worked up an appetite!

[onlyanapple]

[Thank Someone. He stands with an audible sigh.]

Sure thing. Sit tight, I'll see what he can cook up for you.

[save_the_souls]

[He smiles]

Will do! [Thank you]