(no subject)

[pointisdolphins.livejournal.com]

Date: May 18, late evening/wee hours of the morning
Location: The bar
Status: complete
Summary: Crowley ventures out once again for that all important basic need--alcohol

Demons, much like men, come in a lot of varieties. There is the sort of demon that has never been in a bar and is old fashioned enough to have never tried eating, let alone drinking. (Not that this kind would need the stimulation anyway as they tend to be the brimstone spewing, hellfire breathing sort.) Then there is the sort that use bars (and in the old days hovels) merely as a work related tool. (Humans that live in bars sadly often are easily Guiled.)Finally, there are ones that actually drink for enjoyment, although these are few and far between.

Crowley usually fell into the last category, although he'd been around humans long enough that he knew about the human categories too. Right at the moment, the Serpent was less of a hedonistic drinker or a macho drinker and more of a depressed drinker. The kind that drinks to forget things, which was a horrible cliche that Crowley refused to admit had anything to do with him. No, he was going to drink, and if the angel wasn't there, well, that meant more alcohol for him. (If he and his counterpart had been strained with one another lately, that had nothing to do with it and is in fact a normal occurence in a frie-- A relat-- Between two beings that have known each other so long.)

The demon entered the bar the same way a lot of battle hardened soldiers entered a combat zone. Being paranoid was a necessary job skill for a demon, and Crowley was good at it. He took a seat in the corner so he could watch anyone that entered, miracled one of the bottles behind the bar into his hand and began to drink.

Comments

[pointisdolphins.livejournal.com]

It was to Crowley's credit that his face and demeanor did not indicate the inward huge sigh of relief he felt at Aziraphale's recovery.

Good. The further away the angel was from Belial, the better. Now if only he could think of an excuse to flee. Or a way to get Belial to leave, although no, come to think of it that wouldn't work because if the demonic king left after Aziraphale did, Crowley would worry he was going AFTER Aziraphale. Sod all.

[lordofsin]

Belial ran his gaze over Crowley. "Oh, I'm sure he could if he really wanted to. Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay, Aziraphale?" He practically purred the angel's name.

"Joe has an excellent selection. You could keep an eye on Crowley in comfort."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale bit his lower lip in thought. Having drinks with demons would likely get him rebuked by the higher-ups*, but... well. One to take the edge off wouldn't be so bad. He was, after all, a nervous wreck at the moment, planning to tell Crowley of his affections and all, and so...

"I suppose I might as well," he said a little stiffly, sitting down between the two demons with a rigid back. "I shan't be drinking much, however." Then he thought about something. "Oh, Mr. Belial, I meant to ask you - did you ever get the bottle of wine** I left for you?"


* Whom all seemed to be in the manor nowadays, sigh.
** http://community.livejournal.com/lt_safe_house/15277.html

[pointisdolphins.livejournal.com]

Not for the first time, Crowley was glad for his dark shades because his eyes widened in surprise. He hoped that he maintained his classic cool expression because frankly inwardly he had dropped open his jaw in the type of expression familiar to texters and computer nerds everywhere as D:.

Without speaking or even moving his face that much he glanced at the angel* in a way that he hoped would convey 'WTF WERE YOU THINKING GIVING BELIAL GIFTS YOU MORON!?' Outwardly all he did was slightly raise an eyebrow. "Going over my head and bribing a Higher Up instead of me directly?"

*Thank Someone for shades because Belial wouldn't know he was looking at the angel sideways, but the angel would know. Aziraphale always did.

[lordofsin]

"You wouldn't need bribery to have your way, I'm sure," Belial smiled, keeping his eyes on Aziraphale. "I did get the wine. Thank you."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale blushed. He couldn't help it. "Oh," he said, hoping he didn't sound silly, "Well, bribery is Frowned Upon, you know, although shamefully it gets things done, and anyway I wasn't bribing anyone, Crowley, it was repayment for chocolate mousse, and, well, I have something of a sweet tooth, I admit."

Crowley of course knew that. Crowley knew everything about him. Just like Aziraphale knew that he was going to get chewed out for weeks about this, but it would have seemed odd for him to not inquire about the wine...

[lordofsin]

"Oh? You know, if you enjoyed the mousse so much I can make you some more." Belial smiled at the angel. "Or something else - chocolate crepes, perhaps, or something more Eastern?"

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale smiled. "I believe last time we met we discussed dessert-making. I do think we ought to try exchanging recipes or somesuch sometime. You are quite the dessert chef, just judging from the mousse. Perhaps some time when you're working I shall have to stop by."

Sadly, he meant it. Chocolate was a very powerful lure.

[pointisdolphins.livejournal.com]

"Oh sure," Crowley put in. "I'm sure all the chef's of Hell would LOVE to have an angel to add to their recipes."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale gasped indignantly. "Crowley!" he exclaimed. "Really! Only the hellhounds eat angels, as far as I know, so you needn't be so crass!"

[lordofsin]

"I assure you, I have no plans to serve charbroiled angel anytime soon. I simply like watching people enjoy my desserts." And it was an honest statement. Belial considered preparing desserts a wonderful way to indulge in both Gluttony and Pride.

He turned back to Aziraphale. "I'm not working as the bartender anymore, but I'll probably be making trips to the kitchens every now and then. Feel free to join me, or make requests. My room is 102."

[stillnotfallen.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale smiled. "Thank you for the offer, my dear."

He wasn't going to implicate himself either way, of course.

And while the topic was relatively harmless, he could almost feel Crowley about to explode next to him. He turned to look at his counterpart. "Crowley, my - what is it called again, a computer? - well, my contraption is once again showing me pornography and I can't get it to stop. Would you fix it for me?"

[pointisdolphins.livejournal.com]

“Ssssure, that means you’ll owe me a favor,” Crowley replied, just managing to keep himself in check enough to pull off a smirk and a rather calm nod to Belial. (And a wink, because he figured he might as well give Belial credit for the porn.) “Excuse me.”

With that, Crowley stood up and left. “Come ON angel,” he said over his shoulder. He waited until they were both out of the bar and nearly to their room(s) before he spun around, thwacked the angel hard (purposefully) and hissed at him (unintentionally).

[lordofsin]

Belial winked back, smirking as well. He was rather fond of porn; it was one of the oldest art forms around, even if the medium had changed. Apparently it affected angels, too.

He watched the angel and demon leave thoughtfully.