Laughing, Erskine relented and tossed another small ball of fire up into the air. Barney couldn't quite tear his eyes away from it, even though the sight of it made his skin crawl. The obvious magic was unnerving enough without the large dog voluntarily leaping up to try and catch the flames before they fizzled out, happily trying to close its jaws around fire and carry it back. Not because the dog was unintelligent, especially since most dogs knew enough not to try and hurt themselves, but because it - he - was far too intelligent. A person. An Archangel. A large dark-skinned fellow one moment, a grade school boy the next. A chocolate lab in the moment after that.
Barney needed Merlin's distraction, and he took it. Paddy Steadfast, at least, seemed normal, if not quite for his name. "Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise." They shook hands, and Paddy's head tilted down in surprised sympathy. "Just this afternoon? How are you holding up?"
"I've... been worse." Feeling suddenly and strangely awkward, Barney stepped away and rubbed the back of his neck, watching the game of fetch with the angel just because it was something to do, something to focus on, without having to think too hard. "It wasn't quite just this afternoon. That's only when someone finally told me the truth."
He hadn't meant it in an accusatory manner, but Ghastly flinched nonetheless. "In my defense," the tailor-sorcerer muttered, "I was with God at the time. My mind was on other things."
Barney really hadn't needed that reminder, a fact no one else seemed to notice. Paddy, in particular, glanced between the pair with a startled look. "What do you mean?"
It was certainly a story, and Ghastly seemed more inclined to tell it than Barney was. That was fine; Ghastly knew the story better anyway. Barney only half-listened, adding the occasional comment, and otherwise watched Raphael. Raphael, or his brother, Gabe, whom Skul had leaned down and started petting.
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Barney needed Merlin's distraction, and he took it. Paddy Steadfast, at least, seemed normal, if not quite for his name. "Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise." They shook hands, and Paddy's head tilted down in surprised sympathy. "Just this afternoon? How are you holding up?"
"I've... been worse." Feeling suddenly and strangely awkward, Barney stepped away and rubbed the back of his neck, watching the game of fetch with the angel just because it was something to do, something to focus on, without having to think too hard. "It wasn't quite just this afternoon. That's only when someone finally told me the truth."
He hadn't meant it in an accusatory manner, but Ghastly flinched nonetheless. "In my defense," the tailor-sorcerer muttered, "I was with God at the time. My mind was on other things."
Barney really hadn't needed that reminder, a fact no one else seemed to notice. Paddy, in particular, glanced between the pair with a startled look. "What do you mean?"
It was certainly a story, and Ghastly seemed more inclined to tell it than Barney was. That was fine; Ghastly knew the story better anyway. Barney only half-listened, adding the occasional comment, and otherwise watched Raphael. Raphael, or his brother, Gabe, whom Skul had leaned down and started petting.