Daddy's Little Serpent (Short Story)

Daddy's Little Serpent

  

 It started to rain. But it was no big deal……

As long as there wasn’t a storm……

Lightning lit up the sky as thunder roared, bathing the nursery of South Downs in a eerie white light. Baby Eden wailed in terror as Aziraphale tried to soothe her. Being in her Papa’s arms didn’t seem to calm her like normal. “Hush Little One, it’s alright. We’re not going to let a little storm anywhere near you, isn’t that right Crowley?”

“Stupid weather app….no storms it said! Just a light shower here and there…..Oh yeah course not!” Crowley mumbled as he dug through a cabinet drawer. 

“Crowley, love, perhaps we should take her to our bedroom? Maybe then she’ll calm down a bit.” Aziraphale thought his heart would break at the sight of the little baby, who had currently resorted to trembling from the last lightning flash.

“Hang on, let’s try this, maybe she just needs to be distracted.” Crowley pulled a duck shaped teether out of the drawer.  “She is teething too that probably isn’t helping her mood.”

“But look at her Crowley! She’s shaking; you know how much storms scare her.” Aziraphale’s voice cracked.  He had half a mind to dart straight into his and Crowley’s bedroom and never put her back in the nursery….

“Hey it’s okay you two, here-“ Crowley gently waved the duck teether and as expected, Eden stopped shaking and grabbed the toy with chubby fingers.

Crowley sighed in relief when Eden began to gnaw on the toy and he wiped away her tears with gentle fingers. “There now, all better. If the storm doesn’t fuck off I’ll miracle it away myself and make sure a storm never strikes here again.”

“But we can’t interfere with the weather like that, can we?” Aziraphale rubbed Eden’s back comfortingly, relieved that she had stopped shaking.  

“We’ve interfered with a lot of things angel.” Crowley said as he stroked Eden’s soft tufty hair, which was starting to form beautiful curls. 

“I suppose you are right….”

“Are you sure it’s safe for her to be left alone with the teether in her mouth?” Aziraphale asked as he watched Crowley put the baby back in her crib.

“Of course. Look, she’s much calmer now that the storm has passed.” It was true, it was just sprinkling now and things had quieted down at last.

“Now, let’s go downstairs for some tea and fix Eden a little snack?” 

Aziraphale gasped, “ Oh Crowley she shouldn’t be left alone in this state!” He was about to scoop her up out of the cradle when Crowley stopped him.

“Angel, she’s calmed down and so has the weather. And you’ve been pushing yourself too much……you look exhausted. You need a breather….we both do.”

Aziraphale scoffed, “I have no idea what you are talking about dear boy!”  

“Angel, you’ve been overdoing it ever since the baby started teething.”

“Because she’s been quite fussy and according to the books I’ve read, teething is quite painful…..I can’t bear the thought of her being in any sort of pain….”

“Aziraphale, we’ve been miracling the pain away for her when chewing on a teether doesn’t seem to help.”

“Well, yes, but then this blasted storm hit and it was the worst one yet! You saw how upset she was!” Aziraphale was suddenly hit by a wave of exhaustion and he suddenly felt drained.