[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

[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]

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?

[serpentinthegarden]

Ear plugs. What I want is some ear plugs.

[temptationaccomplished]

Only because you asked SO nicely.

[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?

[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.

[tobodlygo]

[James laughs, quietly and as off-screen as he can. It's kinda cute how Mr. Fell and his partner interact.]

It's alright! I'll be sure to let you know what I find out, if anything. You mentioned that you used chemistry in your profession, what is it that you do?

[scotch_egg]

[a muffled snort that is almost a laugh]

[temptationaccomplished]

Alec, you-- Listen, I didn't claim to be a scientist. Just because you think I'm a ...spoiled pansy doesn't mean there isn't any real technical aspects to undoing years of terrible "preservation" choices and not ruining the underlying artwork. There's composition of pigments to consider, historical accuracy, slowing the depolymerization of more modern paints, the fact that anything I do must be able to be undone and unbonded from the original by future conservationists.

[Smugly] I bet you don't even know what spectroscopy is.

[And then, to Jim, much more pleasantly] I'm very sorry he's so rude, really. [Maybe not quite this] Anyway, I am an art restorer.

[scotch_egg]

Wasn't laughing at that. [Fell was brilliant. But he was also a spoiled pansy]

[temptationaccomplished]

Well, don't laugh at Professor Kirk either. He's, well...sort of our guest.

If you're not nice, I'll let Anthony drop the desk on you.

[scotch_egg]

That would be a blessing at this point. [his back is murder]

[tobodlygo]

Are you kidding?

[Jim's face blows wide with a grin.]

That's amazing! There's so much to restoration that needs so much attention to detail and knowledge of the materials used- I've always found that sorta stuff fascinating. Too bad I don't know the business end of a paintbrush from its handle. Do.. are they called handles on paintbrushes?

And please don't drop that desk on anyone... Looks like it was expensive, and like it might be kinda hard to get blood stains out of.

[He's smirking a little bit, sure. He thinks he makes good jokes sometimes.]

But uh, do you guys need anything now? If you need a driver I can pick people up or uh, bring some food or something? Maybe some painkillers.

[serpentinthegarden]

Too late. Alec already dropped it on some one...

[ So it was grumbled as he adjusted his frozen peas to provide better therapy to his very likely broken foot. ]

[scotch_egg]

Why don't you have Fell kiss it and make it better. Isn't that supposed to be his thing.

Also I don't need medication I'm fine. [he was already medicated enough. thank you. In just a moment he would prove it to everyone]

[serpentinthegarden]

[ No comment will be made about Fell's kisses or how much he enjoys them on a conference call. ]

You need more than medication...

[temptationaccomplished]

[Fell was pleased as punch to be gushed at so much about his chosen profession, he might as well be glowing. He's so flattered and then Anthony and Alec have to rain on his parade.]

Actually... And I do hate to be a burden to new acquaintance, but if you truly are offering, we could use a ride to the hospital.

Anthony is unfortunately in no fit shape to drive and neither Alec nor I do in the first place.

[To the peanut gallery] Would you kindly...! I am trying to talk!

[To Jim] If you can find it in you to tolerate these two. I do wonder sometimes why I do.

[scotch_egg]

[he shuts up but he's not going to any bloody hospital]

[tobodlygo]

Yeah, I can take you guys, no problem. These guys are nothing, you should try taking to since of the undergrads I have to teach.
[Honestly, some of them wine so, so much.]

Text me your address and I can be right over.