The slap forced him to reach out and balance himself against the wall, but the physical jolt at least helped snap him out of the rising pool of panic. Owen closed his eyes momentarily, then forced himself to look Aziraphale in the eye, spare hand going out to snatch the other man's.

"Quite all right, mate," he assured. It wasn't, nothing was, but that wasn't this poor sap's fault. "Just got me off guard."