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Molly had liked being a cat, for the most part. It had been interesting to see things from that perspective, and he'd rather enjoyed that people were quite willing to lavish attention and ear-pets!

But what he hadn't been especially thrilled with? Was how difficult it was to communicate, aside from a scarce few. And the lack of opposable thumbs had meant there was plenty he couldn't do without help.

So back to normal he was happy to go back to drawing cards- while it wasn't unusual to find the tiefling taking over a corner of a bar or a cafe, or something of the sort, he'd decided to go right back to his roots this time, coat spread out like a tapestry, one he plunked down on, tail flicking back and forth behind him as he was easily shuffling his well-worn deck between slim fingers, red gaze flicking over those who passed.

If someone was familiar, or just looked like they'd be fun to talk to? He'd be piping up. "Come friend, have a seat! Keep a troublemaker company! Or maybe you'd like said troublemaker to draw a card or two for you?"

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"Well I'm endlessly delighted to hear that you didn't come to any harm while doing your kindly deeds." And he was- he liked to hear that there were those around who were good, or at least willing to look out for those around them, and well it was quite obvious that Aziraphale was a good egg.

"Caleb's the smartest man I think I've ever met," He had no issue admitting as much, it was an obvious thing. "Especially when it comes to magic. Which of his spells did he show off? Did you get to meet Frumpkin?"

If not, Molly was fairly certain the fae familiar was still lingering somewhere near as he'd had a furry visitor not even ten minutes ago- Caleb often would send the cat to come spend time with the tiefling if he was caught up in studies or classes. And Molly quite frankly adored the thoughtfulness of that, knowing how the feline was so often an extension of the wizard's affection.

Aziraphale smiles at that, touched by Molly's reply. The angel does try to be good, even though he is no longer considered Good by heavenly standards. "It was about all I could do, anyway. I don't think my miracles would have undone any of Coyote's curses."

Molly's assessment of Caleb rings true for Aziraphale, who nods in return. "Very studious, too. He never showed me any of his spells, actually, but he did explain to me the classification of the different magic users in your world. We got a little off-topic once I saw his book holsters." Aziraphale is still looking for a place he might commission such a thing. "But no, I didn't get to meet Frumpkin. Is that his familiar?"

"Hmm... I think there's a lot of times when that's true. But doing good isn't about fixing what's bad, or else no one could do it right?" Molly pointed out with a thoughtful hum. "But even a little bit of good to make things easier or better, or to make someone smile for a minute, that's nothing to sneeze at."

"Oh, next time see if you can convince him to show off. He's so good with his magic it's like a performance every time. As for Frumpkin, it is indeed!" The tiefling glanced around, pspspsing as he did. "Frumpkin... are you still around? Come on now darling, there's a friend here who'd like to meet you~"

It might take a moment or two but Aziraphale, if he was looking, might spot the fuzzy face of a cat peering down at the pair from a balcony overhead with an imperious-sounding meow in reply.

"You are very wise to say so, dear. I'm glad that I have my blessings and miracles to do a little bit of good whenever I can. It's just that after having my hands tied for so long by my superiors, I do wish sometimes that I could do more. But I doubt I'm alone in feeling that way."

Besides, everything seems to have resolved itself. Molly is no longer a cat, but apparently this mysterious Frumpkin is! He looks all about, eager to see Caleb's familiar, and sure enough, he does eventually spot him up on the balcony.

"Hello!" he says cheerfully to the furry feline. "Well, aren't you a darling. Would you like to come down and join us?" He even joins in a little on the pspspses before returning his gaze to Molly. "Caleb has him keep you company, then? That's very thoughtful of him. He must like cats a great deal."

Aziraphale is starting to understand why Molly did not particularly mind being turned into a cat. Or why he might have potentially voiced a wish that lead to that specific curse.

"Wise? Me?" Molly couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm just a sentimental brat is all. But it works out regardless. We all do what we can with what we've got."

Frumpkin wouldn't mind joining the pair actually. There's several points for a clever cat to use to hop down and he makes quick work of it, moments later winding his way onto Molly's coat to peer between the pair before sniffing curiously in Aziraphale's direction.

"He's very thoughtful it's true," Molly agreed with a grin and maybe a bit more of a blush. "He can't always come visit- he's got his classes and his own studies after all. But he can still send Frumpkin to see me."

His voice is fond as he speaks, reaching to scritch lightly along the cat's back.

"Oh, you're hardly a brat --" At least, not to Aziraphale. "-- and there's nothing wrong with being sentimental. It's that sort of tenderness that the world often needs the most."

Aziraphale beams in the way that anyone who has been honored by a cat actually approaching when beckoned tends to do. "How kind of you to join us, dear," he says to Frumpkin, offering him a hand to sniff and potentially rub against. "I do so love cats," he remarks to Molly, before adding somewhat sheepishly, "Although I suppose you already knew that." At least he doesn't have to worry about this cat being something he's not. Right???

Molly's demeanor when he speaks about Caleb is very promising. He hopes that the wizard has taken a little more initiative in revealing his feelings to his friend. "I imagine his research will always take up a lot of his time," he muses. "But he has you to remind him to have some fun now and then, I hope?"

The feline miaoed an affirmative that yes, it was very kind that he deigned to grace them with his presence. Especially when a hand was offered for proper inspection, after which Frumpkin was happy to rub right in against Aziraphale's fingers.

"Cats are delightful." Molly agreed with a chuckle. "As are the other creatures Frumkpin can be. But he prefers being a cat. Honestly I prefer it too. Less wet than an octopus."

And at the mention of reminding Caleb, the tiefling laughed warmly. "Oh for sure! Someone has to remind him to come up for air from his books, and not just for that pesky eating and sleeping!"

"There's a dear," Aziraphale says fondly, scratching gently along cat's jaw and up behind his ear. He's surprised at first to hear that Frumpkin can shapeshift, but as a wizard's familiar, he supposes that's par for the course. "Yes, a cat is much more preferable to... excuse me, did you say an octopus?"

He gives the cat an incredulous look. "I would think any sort of sea creature would be inconvenient unless one was in the water at the time." He can't imagine Frumpkin slithering around the Nexus as an octopus. Not to mention, he'd be a lot less pleasant to pet.

"Sounds like how Crowley treats me. I can't tell you the number of times he's had to drag me away from my books. I'll admit that I do lose track of time while I'm reading, but it's not like I need to eat or sleep. I am grateful for the interruption, though. His company is much more important to me."

Frumpkin of course gives no sign of caring about the conversation, not with pettings to soak up, purring content, eyes shutting to happy slits.

"An octopus!" Molly confirmed with a grin. "I'm not sure what Frumpkin actually is beside some manner of fae creature- he can turn into all sorts of useful things if Caleb needs him to."

The tiefling had to grin his amusement at Aziraphale's description, resisting the urge to purr along with Frumpkin for the moment, though the twitch of his tail did slow a bit to something a bit more sedate. "Someone's got to take care of you bookworms- glad to hear you've got someone to drag you out of the shelves. Just because you don't need food or sleep doesn't mean companionship isn't just as necessary."

He tried not to think about how true that seemed for him. This was a nice time and a fun conversation, he didn't need to be a killjoy.

Ah, well that explains the shapeshifting. "Have you seen him as an octopus, then? I suppose there are situations where that might be useful." So long as Frumpkin does not decide to go all tentacle-y while Aziraphale is petting him. He continues to scratch behind his ears, hoping that the positive reinforcement will encourage him to stay where he is, in cat form.

Aziraphale chuckles a bit at the term bookworm, but he can't really argue with that. Before Crowley moved in and they spruced up the flat upstairs, he more or less lived in the bookshop proper, sitting and reading in the back room all through the night. Now there's a demon who whines and complains until he joins him upstairs, and he honestly wouldn't change a single thing about it.

"I'm inclined to agree that companionship is necessary, even for an angel who values his reading time." He smiles at Molly. "And what tricks do you employ to lure Caleb from his books? For me it's the promise of dessert, or sometimes tickets to the theatre."

"I haven't had the pleasure to be fair. I've seen him as a bird, and as a spider, both very effective for scouting and spying as I'm sure you can guess." Molly mused, reaching to chuck under Frumpkin's chin which between his and the angel's efforts, the cat was purring quite happily and more than willing to stay a cat.

"Well, a promise of a bookshop is a near-guaranteed way to get Caleb out of his book," The tiefling pondered the options, a faint amused smile on his face. "Or I just take a page from Frumpkin's book so to say- hard to read when a tiefling is draped across the pages after all."

Aziraphale gives the cat another bemused look after hearing that he's been both a bird and a spider. "Quite the repertoire, I'm impressed. He must share quite a bond with Caleb to do all these things at his request."

There was more to the wizard than the angel knew, apparently, even after his lengthy explanation of magical classes and spells. But right now, he's most curious about how Molly gets on with him, and the tiefling's answer does not disappoint. It reminds him so much of Crowley's behavior that he has to laugh. "You know, I'm having second thoughts about you and Crowley ever meeting, I feel like you'd give him even more ideas on how to keep me from reading. Although he already does the draping thing, usually while he's a snake. It drives me up the wall." But it does get him to put down his book. "As for bookshops, I told Caleb that he's always welcome to visit mine. You can use that as incentive sometime, I'd be delighted to have you both over."

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