fandom_clinic | FTEC - Wednesday Day Shift 8/29

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FTEC - Wednesday Day Shift 8/29

Wilson was definitely yawning as he headed into the clinic today, oversized coffee in one hand and briefcase in the other.

He also had a fairly smug and well satisfied look on his face.

It seemed as if having a certain bond open full blast hadn't been quite the uncomfortable experience it could have been.

Settling down behind the front desk, he went back to work on his lesson plans, mind abuzz with lazy contentment.

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A certain angel had a bit of extra bounciness in his step as well, as he came through the clinic doors, carrying a plate of fresh-from-the-oven apricot turnovers.

He thought they might go well with the very large cup of coffee he knew Wilson would be nursing.

"Good morning, James love!"

Looking up from his notepad, Wilson arched an eyebrow at the bouncing angel.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd be able to move so spryly after last night."

"It's that divine recovery speed," Aziraphale quipped, with a wink as he leaned over Wilson's chair and stole a warm kiss. Then he set the plate of treats on the desk.

"How is the class planning going?" he asked, perching against the edge of the desk.

"It's going," Wilson returning, setting his pen down and leaning back with his coffee in hand.

"You're cheating, using plans from last year for yours. I wonder if I shouldn't have done that and taught Conflict Management again."

"Heavens, I don't know if I could have managed an entirely new class," Aziraphale exclaimed. "You have to remember, James, angels aren't terribly creative."

It was possible he sometimes used that as an excuse to just be lazy.

"Anyway, I think you've hit on a wonderful idea for your class this term."

Wilson gave Aziraphale a look which clearly indicated that he knew the angel was simply being lazy but then he shrugged and sipped on his coffee.

"Mmm, we'll see I suppose."

Aziraphale responded to the 'Look' with a soft Hmmph, and then broke off a piece of pastry and popped it into his mouth.

"I told Belthazor last night that we'd pay for his schooling as well. He's trying to talk himself out of attending university, and I think he was hoping to use the money as an excuse."

Frowning thoughtfully, Wilson rolled his coffee mug between his hands and stared at a spot on the wall just behind the angel's hip.

"University isn't for everyone, Aziraphale."

"I know that, James," Aziraphale replied, with a little frown of his own. "But his reasons are just things like...not being good enough, or being afraid that people won't understand him because he's half-demon. I told him that I thought he ought to give it a try, just for the experience of it. And then of course if it turns out it just doesn't suit him, he can do something else."

The angel looked off, toward the clinic doors. "I just don't like when people talk themselves out of trying things they could be good at, or enjoy, just because they're afraid it might not work out."

"I understand that, love but in the same token, sometimes you have to accept that someone's instincts are telling them something about themselves and maybe they need to find a different path."

Sitting forward a little, Wilson looked up into Aziraphale's eyes.

"Not that I'm saying that Bel is right in being so down on himself, I don't believe any of that any more than you do but maybe that's the argument he's trying to make so he doesn't have to say 'you know ... no, this isn't for me' because he's afraid of disappointing the people he loves. There is incredible social pressure on young people to go to University, both from peers and elders, even if it's loving and only because it's what people feel will be best in the long run. But everybody is different."

"But James," Aziraphale protested, looking honestly puzzled. "Why should a fear of disappointing people be a good reason not to do something? Especially when it isn't true? I mean, you and I both know that Belthazor would never disappoint Phoebe, or either of us. I just..."

He bowed his head, and nodded. "No, you're right. I'm meddling in things, and trying to make people's Choices for them. I shouldn't have pushed him so hard."

"Love, it's admirable that you want only the best for Bel but the only person who knows what's best for Bel, is Bel."

Leaning forward he gave Aziraphale's hand a gentle squeeze.

"You pushed because you care about him, which is a good thing. He needs that in his life."

"I hope he knows that he really does have people who care about him," Aziraphale replied, glancing up with a little smile and wrapping his fingers around Wilson's. "He invited us to come and visit sometime. They're staying with Miss Mars and Phoebe's sister Piper."

"Oh, I'm certain Phoebe will be looking forward to spending some time with Piper," Wilson said, smiling.

"Now, what else are you up to today?"

"Nothing in particular, love, except to stop off at Dr Keyworth's cookout once your shift is over," Aziraphale replied, standing up from his perch against the edge of Wilson's desk.

Smiling, Wilson pointed towards the pastry on his desk.

"Going to whip up a few more of those for us to take to the cookout?"

"Oh, I could do that!" Aziraphale's face brightened at the suggestion. "I should do some baking this weekend, too, so we have treats for the student next week."

After getting Wilson's phone call, Bel headed down to the clinic. Wednesday meant no Dr. Jackass, right?

No Dr. Jackass in sight!

Looking up when he heard Bel in the lobby, Wilson smiled at his young friend and sat back from his desk.

"Hello, Bel. You got my message?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Bel said, walking over to the front desk.

"Nothing bad, Bel. I promise." Wilson said with an easy grin, waving Bel over to sit in one of the chairs near the desk.

Looking at his young friend for a moment, Wilson reached for his legal pad and withdrew a small rectangular piece of paper.

"I wanted to give you this," he said, handing it over towards Bel. "We won't call it for school. It's an exact mirror of what will be given to Phoebe but ... you do with it, what you want to do, Bel. Go to school or don't. Find a business to get into or don't. There is no expectation in it, simply my faith that you'll find it's not so scary out there and when you do, you're going to excel at whatever you put your mind to."

"Wow," Bel said, staring at the check as he took it from Wilson. "Thanks -- I don't know what to say, other than spending it all on booze and hookers is probably right out?"

Wilson laughed and shook his head.

"That's entirely up to you. The only people you'd have to answer to are Phoebe and Anders."

"I wouldn't," Bel said, glancing down at the check again. "But -- I'm not sure what I want to do. I talked to Phale about it last night. I'm not sure if I really belong in a college."

"Some people don't," Wilson said. "It's not a measure of how intelligent they are or are not, even though society seems to like to present it as such."

Leaning forward, Wilson clasped his hands before him and looked over at Bel.

"Bel, there are always going to be people in this world who will prejudge you depending upon a snapshot of who you are. Sometimes this means that if you don't have that BA or BS on your resume, they're going to judge it. I'm not going to flim flam you and say that college is just something to be tossed away without understanding that there may be repercussions as you go through life. But on the other side, why lock yourself into a course of action you don't feel is for you, just to suit other people? If you find something you love, something you really want to work at, then the sweat and focus you put into that can be worth 100 degrees of paper on the wall."

Reaching over, Wilson put his hand on Bel's shoulder and smiled.

"You don't have to know the answer right this minute, Bel. Just don't scare yourself away from exploring what's out there for you. You're a smart, driven, strong young man and your future is bright. Stop shying away from it, get out there and live it, okay?"

"But I'm a demon," Bel said, confessing the true source of his unease in heading out into the real world. "I don't belong in the human world."

Sighing softly, Wilson gave Bel a rueful little half smile and nodded.

"Believe it or not, Bel. I know how you feel."

"But you're human," Bel said, and then he got it and added, "Oh . . . you mean fitting in with Phale and Lucifer?"

"Not just Aziraphale and Lucifer, with the whole bloody island, Bel." Wilson said with a wry chuckle.

"But you can do stuff, too," Bel said. "You're a doctor, you help people. You don't need powers to do that."

"And there are people here who can heal through magic or through technology well beyond my time, faster and with less pain and trouble than the methods I use." Wilson pointed out with a gentle smile.

"Yeah, but you talk to people," Bel insisted. "You work just as hard to keep the people around here safe and healthy as anybody else." He waved the check. "I mean, you send demons to college."

Wilson laughed and nodded.

"I do but, Bel ... it's work." Wilson admitted. "It doesn't come easy to me but I work at it because it's important to me. Being here with all of you, making a life with Aziraphale and now Lucifer, it's important to me so I struggle with the not fitting in."

Smiling at his young friend, Wilson gave his shoulder another squeeze.

"I know how important Phoebe is to you, Bel. I know you can do this, you can go out there and be who you are among humans. Yes, it might be scary as shit at the moment but you'll do it and do it damn well."

"I'm scared I'm gonna disappoint her," Bel said, dropping his gaze. "Or Phale, or you."

Wilson grinned softly and poked Bel gently in the shoulder.

"Hey, I think if I was going to be disappointed in you, it might have been back at the beginning of the year, right?"

Making sure he had Bel's eye, the doctor smiled.

"Be true to yourself, Bel ... and you won't disappoint me."

"I'll do my best," Bel promised, feeling a flash of guilt about the beginning of the year. Even though it hadn't been really him, he still felt somewhat responsible.

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FTEC - Wednesday Day Shift 8/29

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