"The teddy-bears are the best," Gabe declared solemnly, but then winked at Tanith, a wink the people behind him wouldn't be able to see, even as he directed his next words to Fletcher. "Don't worry, we're careful to leave most behind! We can't very well take away everyone's chance for fun. There'll be plenty there for you to win next time you go to a park."
He grinned at Tanith. "We keep a few for the children who come Home before their parents. But mostly, the winner gets to choose where to donate them on Earth."
It was Ghastly's comment, though, which made him sober and stop to think, and it was Ghastly Gabriel could actually see as he couldn't the others. The Archangel turned just slightly to do so. "A lot of that was Lucifer being Lucifer. He spent much of his time trying to make sure humanity would be too afraid of my Master, or feel too guilty to believe He'd accept them. My Lord tried everything to help you past that."
There was even that time when He hoped if He punished humanity they might feel absolved. Gabriel chose not to mention it. "The truth is," Gabriel continued with a sweet, gentle smile toward the tailor, one that showed no hint of envy, "the truth is that you've been His favourites for a long, long time."
Kenspeckle looked back at Pleasant and lifted his eyebrows without breaking the contact between his hands and Gabriel's wing. They were more than halfway done, but even through the Archangel's aura Kenspeckle was beginning to look tired. Not strained, but tired. They had now covered the bulk of the injuries on Gabriel's back, but there were still some deep gouges along the line of the wing to take care of.
The professor turned away from the detective and nodded to Valkyrie to move across again. Kenspeckle himself stepped to the side, sliding his hands along Gabriel's feathers, and tacitly guiding the Archangel's wing down so they could reach the injuries properly. He didn't dare speak. He wasn't entirely sure what would come out if he did, and he needed to concentrate, and he rather didn't want to be thinking about exactly what they were discussing. So Kenspeckle summoned up his reserves and focussed on his magic instead.
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He grinned at Tanith. "We keep a few for the children who come Home before their parents. But mostly, the winner gets to choose where to donate them on Earth."
It was Ghastly's comment, though, which made him sober and stop to think, and it was Ghastly Gabriel could actually see as he couldn't the others. The Archangel turned just slightly to do so. "A lot of that was Lucifer being Lucifer. He spent much of his time trying to make sure humanity would be too afraid of my Master, or feel too guilty to believe He'd accept them. My Lord tried everything to help you past that."
There was even that time when He hoped if He punished humanity they might feel absolved. Gabriel chose not to mention it. "The truth is," Gabriel continued with a sweet, gentle smile toward the tailor, one that showed no hint of envy, "the truth is that you've been His favourites for a long, long time."
Kenspeckle looked back at Pleasant and lifted his eyebrows without breaking the contact between his hands and Gabriel's wing. They were more than halfway done, but even through the Archangel's aura Kenspeckle was beginning to look tired. Not strained, but tired. They had now covered the bulk of the injuries on Gabriel's back, but there were still some deep gouges along the line of the wing to take care of.
The professor turned away from the detective and nodded to Valkyrie to move across again. Kenspeckle himself stepped to the side, sliding his hands along Gabriel's feathers, and tacitly guiding the Archangel's wing down so they could reach the injuries properly. He didn't dare speak. He wasn't entirely sure what would come out if he did, and he needed to concentrate, and he rather didn't want to be thinking about exactly what they were discussing. So Kenspeckle summoned up his reserves and focussed on his magic instead.