milliways_bar | (no subject)

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In the last few weeks, he's been keeping hours that start before dawn and end deep into the darkest hours of the night. He looks it, too, enough so that a few media reporters have inquired.

When they do, Gabriel just smiles and tells them that some things are worth giving up a little sleep for.

Still, he knows he can't keep this pace up forever. He doesn't care-- it doesn't matter, as long as he can keep going long enough. Which means, of course, that he's got to find at least a little more time to rest, and soon.

With that in mind, Gabriel brings a sheaf of documents with him to Milliways, and settles at a side booth to review them. If he can get a few hours' work done here instead, then he can spend those extra hours sleeping back in New Mayfair.

Or so he hopes.

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"What? No--"

Gabriel catches himself and considers the question for a second or two before he amends,

"At least I don't think so. I don't know him well here, you see. But I can't imagine he'd be that different."

A beat, and then Gabriel meets Raguel's glance with a smile that's tired, but almost peaceful.

"He's one of the best people I've ever had the privilege to be acquainted with. Ever."

There's a beat before Raguel responds.

"Yeah. Same here." This should probably carry more impact than it does; after all, Raguel is acquainted with God, in a sense. But on the other hand, 'has met' isn't the same as 'knows.'

"It sounds like you know a fair amount about him, anyway."

"I'd say the reverse is likely to be more accurate," Gabriel replies.

"Or isn't that how it works?"

"I don't know," he says, thoughtful.

"I'm not sure Aziraphael works that way; it's more my way of doing things than his. But he does look beneath the surface somehow, now that you mention it. I don't think I could say it was entirely intuition."

Something tenses about him, just slightly.

"I don't suppose you'd be inclined to elaborate?"

"Don't know if I can," he says slowly. "Aziraphael's function is different from mine, so he has his own way of dealing with people."

He gestures, but can't seem to get out what he's trying to express.

"He takes the time to find out who they are, I guess. I just know."

"You just know."

There's no question, now. Gabriel's more tense than he was before.

(Are you a man of faith, Gabriel Tam?)

"I admit you've piqued my curiosity, sir."

(You're a good man. I wouldn't be here if you weren't.)

"What is it that you know about me, if you don't mind my inquiring?"

Raguel looks at him carefully. He doesn't need to snoop into Gabriel's head to tell that he's getting more nervous by the second.

"I try not to pry into that kind of thing in here," he says carefully. "No business, and all.

Unless you want me to."

"I think I'd like to know," he answers, steadily. "That is, if it isn't an imposition, or asking you to work on your time off."

"No, it's no bother," he says, a little confused. His eyes unfocus and he leans back a bit. Not that it would help if he runs into anything... untoward, but it makes him feel more grounded. Tam's nerves are oddly catching.

"You're a sort of a politician," he begins. He grins, adds weakly, "Don't worry, it doesn't mean you're automatically toast." At Gabriel's expression, he clears his throat and concentrates.

"You try to do what's right, what's best for everyone, though you face disagreements. You've changed your focus there, just recently. You're passionate about it. Proud of it."

Raguel's expression grows more remote as he settles into his function, looks deeper.

"There are people you love. Family. You need their support. You'd kill anyone who hurt your wife or your children. You don't think about it, but you would." He looks unconsciously a little more stern, not quite focusing on anything visible in the bar.

"You have hurt them yourself in the past, badly, or you think you did. You're responsible for--" he frowns, shakes his head-- "something terrible. Your daughter. You carried that around for a long time. You didn't trust your son, and now... now you fear a different threat. A bad one. You still worry. You think that you can't protect them, or that you don't have the right to. Someone else's idea, but you harbored it and now it's found the roots to keep it there."

He blinks, refocuses, but the serious look remains.

"Is that what you were looking for?"

He's very pale now, but he nods, and his voice is steady.

"Something like that, yes."

A pause.

"Xiexie ni."

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