Crowley

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale didn't quite know what to do with himself.

Ever since the night before, when he'd blinked away from Crowley - Crowley who had kissed him. He was confused, and he was having feelings, and he didn't know how to deal with any of them.

So of course he decided to read one of his favorite books.

He put a "CLOSED" sign on the bookshop door, and sat down with a misprinted bible and a cup of tea.

Comments

[sauntereddownward]

"That was nice, hmm? Good wine, good sushi. We should do it more often," he replied. "But no. You have tea, after all. And a book. How very...you."

[theangelfell]

Azirpahale frowned a him. "Yes, how very me."

He wanted to say something about the kiss, but he couldn't figure out what to say. When Crowley was infuriatingly sitting here like nothing had happened.

[sauntereddownward]

"It's nice, this. Nice as in good, not nice as in precise. Nice to have your books back and your shop unburned. And my car. It's a lovely thing everything was set back to right."

[theangelfell]

"So everything is... back to normal?" Aziraphale said, carefully. "Nothing new?"

[sauntereddownward]

"Hmm, well it remains to be seen how many of my tapes become Best of Queen," he said, turning his head and running his finger liesurely against the wing of the wingback chair. "I don't think anything else is particularly new, though."

[theangelfell]

"... okay," said Aziraphale, awkward. Maybe he should just forget everything that had happened last night. Maybe Crowley really had just been teasing him but now he felt bad about it.

He picked up his tea cup and drank.

[sauntereddownward]

There was no tea, though. Only scotch.

"Nope, I'd say everything is just the same as it's always been. You on the side of Good, me on the side of Evil. As you said, there's no Our side, now, is there?"

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale coughed when he took a drink. "Crowley! Why do you want to get me drunk!"

[sauntereddownward]

"Awwohhh, calm down. You're far too wound up, angel. I was trying to help you relax. Take the edge off."

He lifted his own glass to his lips and mumbled, "get that stick out of your arse."

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale glared at him. "I do not have anything in my arse."

[sauntereddownward]

Not yet, he thought. Loudly.

"Still, you're far too high strung. Take a drink, calm yourself down. And tell me what you're reading."

[theangelfell]

Inexplicably, Aziraphale settled in the chair and took a drink. "It's a misprinted Bible," he said. "I know you think it's silly."

[sauntereddownward]

"How in the world is it misprinted?" he asked.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale held the Buggre Alle This Bible out to him. "Ezekiel, chapter forty-eight, verse five," he said.

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley put his hand up.

"I'm not holding that. Just read it to me," he said.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale rolled his eyes, but he read anyway.

"And bye the border of Dan, fromme the east side to the west side, a portion for Afher.
3. And bye the border of Afhter, fromme the east side even untoe the west side, a portion for Naphtali.
4. And bye the border of Naphtali, from the east side untoe the west side, a portion for Manaffeh.
5. Buggre all this for a Larke. I amme sick to mye Hart of typefettinge. Master Biltonn if no Gentelmann, and Master Scagges noe more than a tighte fisted Southwarke Knobbefticke. I telle you, onne a daye laike thif Ennywone half an oz. of Sense should bee oute in the Sunneshain, ane nott Stucke here alle the liuelong daie inn thif mowldey olde By-Our-Lady Workefhoppe.
6. And bye the border of Ephraim, from the east fide even untoe the west fide, a portion for Reuben."

[sauntereddownward]

"HA!" Crowley exclaimed, then cackled madly. "And that's what you get from one of yours. Ours would have pissed off the job entirely."

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale arched an eyebrow. "I'm not so sure this was one of ours."

[sauntereddownward]

"Well if he's not one of ours and not one of yours he must be a pure untouched soul. Funny, we tried to corrupt as many writers as we could."

He took a sip.

"Never thought to go after the typesetters."

[theangelfell]

"Why would you?" Aziraphale said, and laughed. Relaxed a little. He could forget what had happened yesterday and just go back to enjoying Crowley's company. He even took up the teacup and took a sip without thinking.

[sauntereddownward]

Miraculously the cup was one again tea, but this time a piping hot chamomile and lavender with a bit of milk and sugar.

"Of course. Why would I?" he replied. "The thought wa always to go after the writers, you know. The ones with something to say."

[theangelfell]

"Well surely not the ones who wrote the Bible," Aziraphale said, and then frowned at his own statement. "Well maybe Leviticus."

[sauntereddownward]

"You'd be shocked, angel. More than just Leviticus," he replied. "Though, to be fair, mostly old testament. Once He came along things changed dramatically downstairs."

[theangelfell]

"Yes, well, the New Testament is a bit gentler, thanks to his influence," Aziraphale said.

He wasn't going to defend all of God's decisions. He hated when Crowley brought up the Flood.

[sauntereddownward]

"Raw deal, he got. If you ask me," Crowley replied thoughtfully. "But he was a good boy. Gave up on that one when I met him. No point."