[video] just enough of a bastard

[temptationaccomplished]

[Fell looks into the camera (he's obviously holding the phone) and takes a sip from the red in his bulbous wine glass.]

Well, this has been the first and absolutely last day of business for the Crowley Cousin Mover Company.

[He turns the camera around and you get a view of his studio apartment, in all its jewel-toned, eclectic vintage charm. If you've been to his flat, or had enough footage from a past video, you'll see he's acquired a new (to him, it's vintage of course), wooden desk. With the plethora of drawers, it looks exceedingly heavy, but it's been placed expertly into his crowded living space.

The Crowley Cousins in question, Alec and Anthony, are both obviously nursing sore muscles. Alec is laying on Aziraphale's vintage leather sofa. Anthony has an ice pack on his foot.]

Oh, I haven't broken you, have I? It's just a desk. Those strapping young men I hired made it look positively easy.

Comments

[temptationaccomplished]

[Looks at Anthony to see if he's hearing this exchange, then tries not to laugh at poor Alec's expense.]

[tobodlygo]

Do you uh... Do you need anymore help?

[James almost regrets asking, because going by the looks of things that's already a lot of work but...]

Three pairs of hands are better than two?

[temptationaccomplished]

Why thank you. While I do appreciate it, for the time being I have enough furniture. In any case, these two wont be providing the extra hands next time anyway. They've been quite defeated by the desk.

But thank you...I'm afraid I dont know your name?

[tobodlygo]

Ah, sorry, I had the forumd open while I marked papers just to see what was going on.

I'm James, James Kirk.

[He doesn't bother adding 'Professor', Jim isnt exactly married to the title outside of the academic setting, after all. He smiles at the man, and though he's clearly tired, it's still genuine. Fell will be able to see Jim's study in the background, shelving units that span from floor to ceiling filled with books, books and more books! There’s some nerd paraphernalia artfully placed around there too, but mostly, it’s the books.]

[temptationaccomplished]

Nothing to be sorry for, Mr. Kirk. I hardly expect anyone to be glued to their mobiles--after all, I'm certainly not.

You're a teacher? [A quick glance at Alec's prone form. He used to be a teacher. Might they know each other, he wonders, not knowing about that professor title.] My ...friend used to teach; perhaps you know each other. What grade?

[scotch_egg]

Get out while you can. [his voice is muffled but hopefully still understandable. Also he's forcibly retired, so likely not]

[temptationaccomplished]

Go...choke on a throw pillow. I am trying to make friends.

[tobodlygo]

[Ah, that didn't last long did it? He laughs quietly, looking back into his camera with a sheepish smile. ]

No grades at the moment, I teach at Barnard. Physics Department.

[temptationaccomplished]

[Well, then. Someone had to be a very popular professor on that website with the 🌶️.]

So many intelligent people among the Different. Doctors and professors and rocket scientists. I feel a little silly among all you clever young chaps.

Any insight into this whole...everything going on with the multiple worlds and memories? As a Physics...person?

[tobodlygo]

[He looked at it once because a colleague decided to show him. He got very embarrassed, and resolved never to Google himself.]

Intelligence and cleverness are more than just studies and science, Mr. Fell.

[James' voice is warm as he smiles into the camera. He's known artists that can talk circles around him and gas station workers with the quickest mental tallying he's ever seen. To Jim, everyone has their own special thing. He thinks that's brilliant.]

And, well... Sort of? I'm planning on going down to that portal in the Park that Crowley told me about. I have no idea if they'll let me study it but-

I'm not entirely sure how we're getting memories from these places and people that shouldn't exist. But just because they shouldn't doesn't mean they don't. Our technology at the moment means that we can only observe our own Universe, we're not really even that good at seeing the stuff that makes up the 'nothing' part of our universe, let alone the things that could possibly exist outside of it. There's a couple of theories that have been proposed, but none of them can be tested for the reasons that I stated above. Its possible that all the theories are correct, and that somehow-

[He realises that he's going on a bit of a tangent as he catch his hands moving animatedly the same way he does when he's talking to his classroom.]

Uhhhh. Sorry, I get a bit, uhm, carried away sometimes. You probably didn't want a lecture.

[temptationaccomplished]

Quinzel. Now where have I heard that name.

Have we spoken before?

[temptationaccomplished]

Oh no, lecture away, dear fellow. I admit I’ve never been a man of science, outside of the chemistry and such required in my own occupation, but consider me very intrigued.

I can see why you’re a professor. The passion and curiosity are evident.

But do be careful if you venture towards the portal at all. I don’t recall anything this time last month, at least not off the top of my head, but we have a tendency to see strange activity every couple of months. I’m not sure what sort of flux might happen or what it might mean if you’ve, ah, crossed over, as it were.

[serpentinthegarden]

Ugh... don't encourage him to lecture us! I'm in enough pain already!

[ Overdramatic whining from the peanut gallery. ]

[temptationaccomplished]

What is it you’re saying? You’d like an encore?

[phdmotherfucker]

I haven't been part of this community for long, only a month, but I supposed we could have chatted on one of the text posts. What's your name?

[serpentinthegarden]

Ear plugs. What I want is some ear plugs.

[temptationaccomplished]

Only because you asked SO nicely.

[temptationaccomplished]

Most just know me as Mr. Fell. I'm afraid my first name is rather a mouthful.

[scotch_egg]

I don't even want to know what innuendo you're spouting now.

[temptationaccomplished]

[Eyeroll.]

[tobodlygo]

[Jim rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment]

Nah, it's alright! Probably shouldn't have just gone on in a public call, you know? I'm totally down for getting some more of my thoughts on paper and presenting them if I can put anything cohesive together, though?

[phdmotherfucker]

My PDF!

[temptationaccomplished]

No, dear boy, it's quite alright. It was my call and my beau is just being overdramatic. As he does. Can't take these two anywhere, I'm afraid.

But yes, if you jot down your theories I'm sure we would all love to hear them.

[temptationaccomplished]

That was you??

Oh good lord.

[Oh Alec, you great idiot, you missed out.]

Very sorry again about the document and all.

[phdmotherfucker]

[ Didn't he just. ]

God.

[ She covers her face with her hand and her shoulders shake as she tries not to laugh. ]

What a small world.