uplifters | ( in the night ) ic inbox

Oh, I'd love to have more visitors, but-- one of my roommates, well, he's been sleeping for the last month or so.

[ Aziraphale is trying hard not to roll his eyes as he starts heading towards the rec center. ]

And I don't think he likes it when I don't ask before having people over.

That apparently happens here sometimes, just long periods of sleep. It's quite overwhelming at first, I know, but you'll get used to how things are soon enough, I imagine.

Will you tell me what your life used to be like?

[ ‘Quite overwhelming’ is an understatement, but Clark does nothing more than let his eyes widen in some wonderful mix of fear and surprise.

And comment a short: ] Gosh, I hope he wakes up soon. [ Because an afterlife coma sounds… really close to actual death, when you think about it.

He doesn’t expect the question of his own life, though it does make him tilt his head. ] Mine? [ Of course yours, you idiot. ]

I c-could, [ pushing his glasses up his nose, Clark’s feet shuffle somewhat as he tries to keep in step with Aziraphale ] but I wouldn’t know where to start. Um…

[ He wracks his brains a bit, arms crossed and mouth screwed in thought, and then finally opens with: ] I had a son back home. [ Naturally, he smiles when he says it. ]

Oh!

[ He brightens upon hearing this. ]

A son! Tell me about him. How old is he?

[ He finds that it relaxes people to talk about those they love, to remember them. At least, it distracts them from this place with what's important. ]

[ To Aziraphale's credit, his plan works wonders. Clark's smiles are never not genuine, but the one paired with remembering his son causes his cheek to dimple. ] Oh, Jason was eighteen. He'd just moved out of the house for, um, college.

He was a music major. [ Clark chuckles at that. ] Got better than me at the piano years ago, too.

Do you, um, have kids?

Oh, no, I-- I can't.

But I do like children. I have a godson! He's twelve, now, just turned it before I came here.

[ He smiles and switches the topic back after a breath. ]

Where is your boy going to school? Eighteen is such a lovely age, burgeoning into young adulthood.

[ Fortunately, Clark’s not the type to pry too deeply into other matters—he’s more than happy to talk more about Jason, if that’s what makes Aziraphale most comfortable. ]

Jason ended up at NYU—ah, New York University. He wanted to get into Juilliard, but the competition to get in is just [ Clark shakes his head once ] crazy, you know?

It broke my heart when he moved out. [ And yet the smile on his lips is fond as he remembers that day—how excited Jason had been, how all his bags were packed and he made sure to bring an old, childhood teddy bear dressed like Batman. ] The house felt a lot… emptier, without him.

But he texted me everyday to tell me about school. Wasn’t dinner at the table together, but it was… it was something that came from love, anyway.

Didn't make me miss him less, though. [ Clark chuckles at that. ]

Ah, New York University. I imagine he went to Steinhardt college for performing? Lovely school, and right at the heart of Manhattan.

I think it's a very good place for young people. And... with technology these days, so easy to keep in touch.

[ He looks on fondly, luxuriating in the happiness but also as if thinking of some distant memory of his own. ]

I do think that once we've dealt with the World Eaters, the next order of business is to get us all back home. I would very much like to reunite you with your son.

[ Clark's chin lifts a bit at that, his expression surprised. ] You think we’ll get to go back? [ It’s not something he’s considered in the least; Clark’s one of those people who’d accepted his death nearly instantly, even if he’d needed a bit more reminders to really hammer that point home. ]

…I thought we’d just get to the real afterlife.

Well, I hope both will be an option.

[ Sorry Clark, he has you know, magic that will allow him to return to Earth and inhabit a different body. ]

If what you wish is to move on, then I will do all that I possibly can to ensure that you do.

[ It's easy to call upon Death, after all. He is everywhere. ]

Mm… I wouldn’t mind it. [ Death, that is. Real death, pure and true. Clark Kent is just a regular human, after all, and that’s what regular humans do. ]

Moving on is how I’ll be able to see Jason again, anyway. I’m sure of it.

There isn't an, uh… [ His expression screws up somewhat, hands sinking into his pockets. ] An Earth for me to c-come back to.

What?

--What year was it?

[ He asks, panicked, because he wanted to go back to 2019 and stop the second coming of the Apocalypse. ]

[ Clark's head turns just enough to view Aziraphale out of the corner of his eye.

Shortly, he says, ] 2019.

--Oh dear.

What... what month was it?

[ They died in May - it's possible that something else happened after. ]

December.

[ Clark frowns slightly, taking in the look on Aziraphale's face. ] ...why?

O-oh.

[ This upsets him greatly.

He takes a moment. ]

The... apocalypse was supposed to happen in May, of 2019. And my... friend and I.... stopped it; or we paused it for a bit. We always knew they'd try again, but I had just thought... I thought we'd have years.

[ Clark's chest rises to follow the breath he takes in, a slow motion gasp more than anything. "My friend and I stopped the apocalypse" isn't exactly the most normal thing to hear, and he opens his mouth before shutting it again. ]

I'm sorry. [ The chipper demeanour Aziraphale wore just minutes ago seems so far away, now. Clark raises a hand, and if Aziraphale doesn't show signs of discomfort, will gently place it onto his shoulder for a squeeze. ]

I... I'm sure you and your friend did your best. But I don't think anyone could've seen the, um, apocalypse coming at all.

Well, it... it sort of was in my case. We thought that Satan would have to start over, have another son. I suppose... I suppose it makes sense he'd have a backup.

I'm so sorry, Clark.

[ He looks down, ashamed. ]

He was right, we should have tried harder to leave this place. And then maybe we could have done something to save Earth.

Oh... [ He hadn't expected to hear the word Satan. To hear that Satan would have had another son, implying that there was a first one.

There is a weight to the drop of Aziraphale's head that has him pressing his lips together. The hand on his shoulder moves from its spot only so he can give him a gentle rub to the back. ]

You tried really hard, Aziraphale. You did. [ Anyone who didn't wouldn't hold this much remorse. ] I think-- whatever time you bought us humans, that's an amazing gift already.

Thank you for giving Jason and I one more Thanksgiving. [ He means it. ]

But if we move on after this... if we enter a-another realm, maybe you can fight Satan again and beat him for real.

[ Clark nods, determined. ] There's got to be another way to bring Earth back. There're always other ways for everything.

I-- we will, we will have to do that. Bring Earth back, or... or reverse time, or something.

[ Adam might still be around - he might have the power to do it. ]

I'll do anything I can.

[ He nods resolutely, and stands back up from his somewhat-lean forward. ]

Bit of a stick in the original plan, but no matter.

--Thank you.

[ For cheering him up. For believing he can do good. For comforting him. ]

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