late NYE - Crowley

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale did not kiss anyone at midnight, and indeed by the time the crowd started to thin as the wee hours of the morning wore on, he had grown quite bored. However, he had also been unwilling to admit so to Crowley, and so he had simply wandered, still not approaching the demon.

At some point, they looked out across the thinned crowd and caught each other's gaze. Then without any further communication, they both headed out of the club and into the London night, towards Crowley's car.

They walked in silence for a moment, and then finally Aziraphale said, "You were in top form tonight."

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[sauntereddownward]

"I was only having fun," the demon replied. "Doing a bit of wiling, made a new friend. And what did you get up to other than snogging that bloke?"

He was quite cool about it. Not angry at all, really. Really.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale had had no idea that Crowley had seen that, and his neck suddenly went an alarming shade of magenta. "He snogged me," he corrected. "There's a difference. And I hardly think you have room to criticize about that sort of thing anyway."

[sauntereddownward]

"Of course I have room to criticize. I am all about sin. You- you're supposed to be above all that," he replied smoothly.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale blinked at him. "Is kissing a sin?"

[sauntereddownward]

"For you or for me?" he asked rather than answer.

[theangelfell]

"I don't think that should make any difference at all," Aziraphale said, a bit huffy. "For anyone. For humans."

[sauntereddownward]

"It probably shouldn't, but lust is a sin," Crowley pointed out.

[theangelfell]

"As I said, he kissed me," Aziraphale said, looking away from Crowley and walking round to the passenger side of his car. "And I've no idea why anyway. I suppose he was drunk. Probably thought I was someone else."

[sauntereddownward]

"Hrm," he said, quirking his lips for a moment.

"And who did you kiss at midnight?" he asked.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you think, Crowley."

He was grumpy.

[sauntereddownward]

"Neither did I. No luck this year for me," he replied, looking over at the angel.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale found himself strangely glad to hear that. Though what he said was, "Perhaps you would have been more popular if you weren't being so cruel."

[sauntereddownward]

"Was I cruel? I only told the truth. People always say they want others to be honest with them," he said, well aware he'd been awful.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale knew full well that Crowley knew, too. He gave him a withering look.

"That poor Delaunay boy was so upset that he didn't notice when someone slipped something into his drink. Who knows what might have happened to him if I hadn't intervened."

[sauntereddownward]

"It's not my fault he's not comfortable with his choices about prostitution and murder," Crowley pointed out.

[theangelfell]

"He is a young man with good intentions who is in a very precarious position," Aziraphale said. "So I suppose it's no wonder you want your hands on him. I'm surprised you didn't try to charm him instead."

[sauntereddownward]

"I didn't try to charm anyone tonight. That's not cricket," he said. "I was just trying to have a good time."

[theangelfell]

"And your idea of a good time is of course to be cruel," Aziraphale sighed. "You were terrible to Felix Harrowgate, too."

[sauntereddownward]

"Felix is a terrible person. He deserved it," he replied, quite comfortable with all his horrible behaviour.

[theangelfell]

"Considering the evil that has been brought upon him, I don't think he needs anymore from you, regardless," Aziraphale said.

[sauntereddownward]

"No one knows what they're made of until they're tested," he pointed out.

[theangelfell]

"Perhaps you're fortunate, then, and the traumatizing experience of seeing me kissing someone was a testing trial for you," Aziraphale said dryly.

[sauntereddownward]

"Oh, you have an answer for everything," Crowley scowled. "Can we let this all lie, please?"

[theangelfell]

"You started it," Aziraphale pointed out crossly. "I'm not sure why I came anyway, except knowing that you were likely to get into some sort of trouble."

[sauntereddownward]

"I thought you came to keep me from causing too much trouble," Crowley said. "I think you're upset you were doing damage control."

[theangelfell]

"Yes, well. I suppose I'm also a bit miffed that you have the gall to scold me for something as innocent as a kiss when your behavior was so appalling."

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley smiled slyly at that.

"My first sin of the new year. Tormenting an angel," he said proudly.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale turned and looked at him, an expression of genuine hurt on his face. He wasn't just some angel, even to Crowley. At least, he'd thought.

Then he looked away. "Well," he said. "I'm glad to get home. You can drop me at the shop."

[sauntereddownward]

"I don't think so," Crowley replied. "I have plans for the sunrise. And you are a pivotal part of those plans."

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale blinked at him, genuinely surprised. "Excuse me?"

[sauntereddownward]

"You heard me. First sunrise of the new year. We can't waste that opportunity," he replied.

[theangelfell]

"What, shall we go kick some puppies?" Aziraphale muttered.

[sauntereddownward]

"You're not attractive when you're cranky," the demon replied.

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale arched an eyebrow. "Do you think that is typically a high priority of mine?"

[sauntereddownward]

"Being attractive? No, but it comes naturally. I wouldn't imagine you had to make it a conscious priority. "

[theangelfell]

Aziraphale looked confused. He couldn't figure out if that was a compliment or if Crowley was mocking him. So he didn't respond to it. "So what is it that you want to do at sunrise?"

[sauntereddownward]

Crowley was quiet for a long moment, taking the time to light a new cigarette.

"The park," he said. "I have bread for the ducks and we can feed them as they wake."

It was such a simple thing but the park was a special place for him- mostly because of the company he kept there, namely, Aziraphale.

[theangelfell]

"Oh," said Aziraphale, a little surprised again. "Oh. Okay. Yes, I like the park." He felt similarly. It was special. Though he didn't want to admit it had anything to do with Crowley.

[sauntereddownward]

The car raced on to St. James park and Crowley had the amazingly good luck of finding a good parking place. He reached in the backseat and brought out a packet with some good, seedy bread in it.

"Shall we?" he said.

[theangelfell]

"What do you think this year will be like?" Aziraphale asked him as they headed down into the park. "At least we have one, I suppose. We were pretty close for a while there to not having more years at all."

[sauntereddownward]

"Too right. I think it's a year full of promise," he said. "I think I ended last year on a high note. And think this one is beginning superbly."

He was gloating a little, but it would be unbecoming of a demon not to gloat after what he'd done. He'd done a despicable job and likely caused chaos that would reverberate in those poor people's lives for weeks to come. Damage well done.

But here, in the park with the bread and the ducks and the angel by his side, Crowley thought he might have done just enough to take a small holiday from it all. After all, the Antichrist had been rather strident about the whole 'messing people about' thing.

"What do you think it holds?"

[theangelfell]

"Hopefully a bit of peace," Aziraphale said after a moment. "I think I'd like that."

[sauntereddownward]

"That sounds terribly dull," Crowley replied. "Peace. With your tea and your books."

He paused.

"After the whole row in Lower Tadfield...do you suppose it's over? Are we out of work?"