Aziraphale's face falls at her visible concern. He hasn't comforted her at all. After a moment he lowers his head, looking down at the floor. He takes her hand in his, pulling it gently from his face, holding it and stroking his thumb over her skin.
"I..." How is he supposed to explain this to her? Even if she's not like any child he's ever met, she's still a child. He promised he'd protect her - how can he tell her the Devil is loose in this city and he can't stop it and still let her feel safe?
"I didn't want you to know about him," he admits, still avoiding eye contact. "He is very dangerous. If you were to truly meet him, you would not be able to hurt him or stop him. He would destroy you."
It's terrifying to even entertain the possibility. He doesn't want Lucifer to destroy anyone, but... but especially not Melanie.
He looks back up at her. "He has hurt me," he says, "but he... he won't do it again." He thinks. He's still not sure of the exact terms of the agreement Crowley made with him. Crowley, bless him (so to speak) is not the best negotiator even in the best of times.
And he really, really doesn't want to explain to Melanie that her other guardian, who he wants her to trust just as much as she trusts him (well, almost as much), is essentially the Devil's servant. He realizes he may have to, but for the moment he only offers her a weak smile.
"I should thank you for coming to my rescue," he says, and the moment he's said it regrets it. This is not the right moment for levity, and it's too horrible a thing to make light about anyway. He can just hear Crowley groaning at him: Well done, angel.
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"I..." How is he supposed to explain this to her? Even if she's not like any child he's ever met, she's still a child. He promised he'd protect her - how can he tell her the Devil is loose in this city and he can't stop it and still let her feel safe?
"I didn't want you to know about him," he admits, still avoiding eye contact. "He is very dangerous. If you were to truly meet him, you would not be able to hurt him or stop him. He would destroy you."
It's terrifying to even entertain the possibility. He doesn't want Lucifer to destroy anyone, but... but especially not Melanie.
He looks back up at her. "He has hurt me," he says, "but he... he won't do it again." He thinks. He's still not sure of the exact terms of the agreement Crowley made with him. Crowley, bless him (so to speak) is not the best negotiator even in the best of times.
And he really, really doesn't want to explain to Melanie that her other guardian, who he wants her to trust just as much as she trusts him (well, almost as much), is essentially the Devil's servant. He realizes he may have to, but for the moment he only offers her a weak smile.
"I should thank you for coming to my rescue," he says, and the moment he's said it regrets it. This is not the right moment for levity, and it's too horrible a thing to make light about anyway. He can just hear Crowley groaning at him: Well done, angel.