Work Text:
London, 1924
“Do you really not believe in psychics or mediums at all? I mean, in all your travels, isn’t there one you never were able to expose because they had a true power?” Asked a woman in the front row.
Houdini took a thoughtful sip of water, looking at his audience with an amused smile. His eyes didn’t linger on the man sitting at the back, all dressed in tan and light brown, who was frowning at him with a pout.
“In all my life,” he said with very carefully chosen words, “I have never encountered someone who claimed to have supernatural powers that I could not expose as a fraud.”
He put his glass down, and looked around again. Again, he crossed eyes with the man at the back, who was squinting at him as if to dare him to say anything else.
Houdini bit back a grin. “But,” he added as a second thought, every eye in the room shooting to him instantly, “I met someone that was the exact opposite.”
No amount of questioning could decide him to say anything else on the matter.
“You, Sir, are a gobermouch !” Exclaimed an outraged voice in Houdini’s back as he stepped out of the building*.
*Someone as renowned as he was shouldn't have been able to get out on his own so easily, not with all the people inside hoping to talk to him “just for one minute”, but escaping was his thing .
He chuckled softly, and turned to face the man waiting for him.
“Hello, Mr. Fell. Insulting me? That’s not very nice.”
Mr. Fell crossed his arms, fuming. “The exact opposite, really? How dare you!”
“I don’t know why you’re so angry, I only told the truth, after all.”
“How many times will I have to tell you I am a very ordinary person. There is nothing… supernatural about me!” declared Mr. Fell with a pout.
“And still, I haven’t been able to prove you are telling the truth. In fact, every fact I have tends to convince me you’re lying,” answered Houdini with a smile, walking away.
Mr Fell followed with angry strides. “I am warning you, do not spread rumours about me.”
Houdini stopped and looked at him with great seriousness. Fell looked angry to most eyes, but an illusionist was nothing if not observant. Fell was worried, and anxious, this was clear as day to him.
“I won’t. Your secret is safe with me.”
Mr. Fell seemed to deflate at the words. “Then why did you have to say that? They are all speculating now, you do realize?”
“Come on, Fell, keeping a secret is one thing, but shocking you is way too much fun. You should have seen your face.”
“Oh, you awful man, you. You will not get away with this so easily. I shall have my revenge.”
Houdini shook his head with a disbelieving smile. How could someone as nice as Mr. Fell think for one second that he would be able to annoy him ?
“How about dinner? Bess asked me to invite you over, were I to meet you.”
This time, Mr Fell’s shoulders lost the last of their stiffness, and he smiled. “Oh, I would love to see your dear spouse again. I found a two-hundreds-year-old Japanese doll last summer, and I kept it for her.”
“A gift for my wife? Nothing for me?” asked Houdini, raising an eyebrow.
“You do not deserve gifts,” answered Fell with a sniff.
Houdini laughed out loud.
Later that night, as he entertained his human friends with his newest magic act after dinner, Aziraphale was satisfied to see that Houdini wasn’t laughing any more as he introduced both of them to his new “assistant”.
A white, fluffy rabbit.
Far from laughing, Houdini was outraged, noted the angel happily.
“You can’t name him that!”
“Oh, I think I can, and I did . Isn’t he just adorable? Yes, you are, Harry, you darling boy,” cooed Aziraphale, cradling the little creature in his arms.
“Stop this instant! And don’t call him that!”
Aziraphale smiled. It was not his usual, angelic smile. No, it was the grin that Crowley used to refer to as bastard angel’s smile .
“Oh, but I do intend to keep that name. I think it suits him very well. Harry will have a very long, very happy life, and he will perform everywhere on earth . Just like you, my dear.”
“You can’t name a bunny after me, Fell! Bessie, stop laughing!”
Aziraphale carefully put Harry back into his box, and accepted the cup of tea his giggling hostess offered him.
That would teach his human friend to tease him this way. Aziraphale may be nice, and soft, but he knew how to be a nuisance if needed.
After all , he thought wistfully, I have learned from the best .