faemused | Open To Anyone For Anything RP Post 2

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From:

duckshaveears

The tone amuses Crowley so much that it takes a second for the words to sink in. "Sword?"

For a minute he honestly has no idea what Aziraphale is on about. Not that he's forgotten the earlier conversation, he's just gotten distracted. "Ohhhh, right. Sword, wall, crossing lines. Is situation really the right word? Happened pretty long ago, after all."

From:

salutosinedelectat

Aziraphale ponders about it. "I suppose it may not give it its due." Whatever that means. He's just finding an excuse to resume their earlier conversation.

"I must say, my dear," He idly adjusts his position on the chair, too proper, too fussy. "Belatedly learning about the true meaning of your words does quite change the perspective."

From:

duckshaveears

Crowley, of course, is slouched. Slouching is probably against the rules of the Ritz as well, but that one he'll risk. It's possible he's physically incapable of sitting straight upright in a chair.

"Huh?" Crowley looks over his sunglasses at Aziraphale, quizzical. "Which words exactly?"

Look, he's said a lot of words. Even in conjunction with the sword, even just today. Aziraphale needs to unpack a bit.

From:

salutosinedelectat

Well, they haven't kicked him out yet. It could be related to the sheer consistency of their patronage and the large bills they rack up, tip included.

Aziraphale huffs idly, partly amused at this difficulty to get back on the subject. Self-brought, mostly, and he realizes that.

"The ones I failed to understand as sarcastic, dear."

From:

duckshaveears

"One sarcastic comment," Crowley insists at once. "One. Which was at least as edged towards me as you given that it was about whether or not angels can do the wrong thing."

Obviously they can, or else Crowley would've still been one.

"And I was still staggered by the idea that you might not be a self-righteous hypocrite like the rest of them, so--"

Is he babbling? He's babbling. And embarrassed. And feeling guilty, of all things, over a snarky comment made six thousand bloody years ago. Crowley groans and covers his face with a hand. "...all right, all right. I'm sorry I was sarcastic at you during your very real and valid moment of doubt about whether or not you'd done the right thing, which, for the record, you absolutely did."

From:

salutosinedelectat

During this whole scene, Aziraphale simply...smiles. He watches and listens to him go on, finding the agitation over something like this rather endearing. Charming, even.

He doesn't quite hide his smile, but he glances down at his hands and tries to make it a little more subtle.

"Consider it forgotten and forgiven, my dear." He doesn't care that much. There were many conversations since, then, countless ones, riddled with varying tones of honest and sarcasm. "Water under the bridge." Or rain over the wall.

From:

duckshaveears

"Good. Great. Thanks."

Crowley takes a deep sip of wine. Then he blinks.

"If it's water under the bridge, why are you referring to it as 'the sword situation'?"

From:

salutosinedelectat

He opens his mouth to answer, but falters. It's rather difficult to just simple say he was grasping at excuses. Trying to find a way to make the conversation flow back into what it had been before they arranged to meet, because, in all honesty, he was rather enjoying it.

So, instead, purses his lips and shrugs his shoulder, with all that unsubtle awkwardness that is very much his.

"It was a situation, was it not?" Still hoping his fumbling is easy to miss. "A situation that involved a sword."

From:

duckshaveears

As if Crowley has ever not noticed Aziraphale fumbling. Ever. In six thousand years.

(he has, once or twice, particularly during the week before Armageddon, but in his defence they both had a lot on their minds)

"It was, yeah," Crowley agrees slowly, discomfort being replaced by curiosity. "So...what do you mean by your perspective of it changing?"

From:

salutosinedelectat

It’s not like Aziraphale is particularly subtle, in any way, shape, form, or context. He just happens to think he’s more subtle than he is. It has come back to bite him more than once.

“ Ah, well.” That was a heck of a way to put it, before. “Knowing what you really meant by it. And knowing how you truly felt then. It’s only logical that it would change it a bit.”

And he’s not entirely sure how he feels about it yet, but it certainly is not a bad feeling. Perhaps a little embarassing.

From:

duckshaveears

"Hm." Crowley looks at him for another minute, considering.

All in all it's just as well that the waiter arrives at that point to see that the wine has met with approval, and to take their orders for food. By the time that's all done the awkwardness has smoothed itself out somewhat. Crowley leans back in his chair again. "Could mention another time the line was crossed. Once more by you, I might add."

From:

salutosinedelectat

It's a good thing the waiter shows up, because that minute of staring feels a bit weighted. Awkward, really, which is not aided by the fact that Aziraphale isn't entirely sure where he wants the conversation to go. He's not leading it, really, and another evening dining at the Ritz should not feel so pressured, but...something's different tonight. Something good, he...thinks. But it's there.

He's sipping his wine when Crowley speaks again, sparking up his attention once more. "Me? Again?"

From:

duckshaveears

"In Rome." Crowley grins. "You invited me to join you for lunch. First meal we ever had together."

And that despite Crowley having been in one of his worst moods ever--dealing with Caligula had turned even his demonic stomach--and having jumped on him at first. But Aziraphale had been happy to see him. Actually happy. He'd heard it in the angel's voice. When had anyone who actually knew him ever been happy to see him? Ever?

Crowley's grin grew wider, more teasing. "Could've marked it down to your general fondness for food, mind, but I decided to take it personally anyway."

From:

salutosinedelectat

Oh, he sees that grin. And hears that tone. And definitely remembers that day, so long ago. Such inconspicuous scenes, he feels, some things Aziraphale hasn’t thought about for so long. Moments he didn't think would mean more than what they did at the moment. But it just goes to show that he really doesn’t know much at all.

He smiles, a mix of fondness and coyness, but his lack of refutal is marked. It’s not that his intentions were all that complex back then, but Crowley pointing out what happened then, the way he does, even if the demon doesn’t voice all of his feelings about it...it makes something in Aziraphale’s chest feel gently fluttery.

“Well...it was a good lunch. Oysters.” He’d been growing more enamored by the food the mortal made. Such craftsmanship and originality. “ To be fair, I’d been growing a bit bored. So, I figured.” Said with a smile all the same.

Being away from Heaven for the most part. On Earth, among the mortals. Work was work, but not everything was terribly exciting. “Seeing a familiar face was...well, it brightened up the day.”

A beat. “You did look a bit glum, however.”

From:

duckshaveears

Crowley snorts. "Glum is putting it mildly," he says fervently before taking a long drink. "I was bloody hating everything that day, above and below and all around me, all of it."

Himself included, truthfully, for a while. The decade or so after the death of Christ had been hard. The conversation he'd had with Jesus had been deeply uncomfortable in many, many ways, that he's never told even the angel about. Strange, astonishing person, Jesus. Crowley wonders sometimes how he and Adam would have gotten along. Either Adam, really.

"Fortunately you showed up to improve things." Another affectionate smile. Lot of those happening today, and Crowley's not even sorry about it. "Brighten them, even."

From:

salutosinedelectat

He watches the demon curiously, vaguely considering asking him for more details about that day. But then Crowley smiles at him, and all he wants to do is to keep the conversation light and pleasant as it's been. He smiles right back.

"Well, I'm glad." While time doesn't often have much meaning to creatures that existed well before it, it's still strange to think about back then, and about how they didn't know each other as closely. "And I was right about the oysters, wasn't I?" Cheekily, but softly.

From:

duckshaveears

Crowley laughs. "Yes, you blessed gourmand, you were right about the oysters. They were marvellous. Never had any since to match them."

Which might've been the company or the astonishment of the event, but who cares? They were good oysters.

From:

salutosinedelectat

Aziraphale chuckles - giggles, really -, taking another sip of his wine.

"We should go for oysters again. I haven't had them in so long. But it's so difficult to find somewhere with the same level of quality."

They do have all the time in the world, however.

From:

duckshaveears

"Nothing stopping us." That's never going to not be a thrill. No hiding, no justifying. No paperwork! Crowley's grin is brilliant. "Could go on a tour, find the world's best oysters. Wouldn't it be something to actually go somewhere on purpose together, instead of running into each other once we were there?"

From:

salutosinedelectat

While it doesn’t take priority, Aziraphale is actually rather thankful to not have to do any more paperwork. Every blasted thing was paperwork. And he is very good at paperwork, but even he has his limits.

The angel’s practically glowing, smiling giddily and sincerely. “Oh, it would be thrilling.” It could be. It can. Oh, it’s so exciting to be here, past the soul crushing anxiety. He gives it just a second, vaguely wondering if this is another line. Are there lines to cross, still? “I would like that. Very much so.”

From:

duckshaveears

"So let's do it!" Crowley dings his spoon against his wine glass, much as he did years ago. Aziraphale looks delighted by the idea and Crowley loves it, for so many reasons. If there are lines left to cross, they aren't ones he's put down. He'll take any ground the angel gives him. "Where are the good oysters hiding these days? France, Spain?"

From:

salutosinedelectat

"Both of those, but I've heard good word about New Zealand and Scotland as well." Oh, the angel is absolutely delighted, yes, and definitely not just over the food.

He's working on crossing those lines. He's quite good at it, he's just recently found out. While there are times some may be particularly daunting still, all he asks is for another moment of patience. But he's well within arm's reach, at this point.

From:

duckshaveears

Crowley could care less about the oysters, really. But travelling with Aziraphale? Aziraphale doing anything with him, on purpose, for no reason except that the angel wants to? He'd go to the moon for that. To the ends of the universe and back. He'd wait until the end of the world. Again.

"Scotland's closest." Crowley grins. "Could knock that one out of the way before it's winter and the weather goes to pot or midge season really gets started. New Zealand might take some more effort, but we can work our way around to it."

Edited Date: 2019-10-11 03:21 pm (UTC)

From:

salutosinedelectat

Well, Aziraphale does care about the oysters. But they're not his top priority.

Travelling, by their own accord-- together. That sounds truly heavenly. That smile might get stuck on his face, or at least for as long as he can think about it.

"Oh, there's a lot to see up there, while we're at it. Perhaps we could go by train. Unless you rather take your car?" As the conversation gently rolls into making unexpected plans.

From:

duckshaveears

"Definitely the Bentley, for Scotland." Crowley's grin grows huge. He's still ecstatic that his beloved car has been returned to him. "Assuming you're willing to put up with a three hour ride¹ in it. I'll let you pick the music if it helps. Train for getting to and around Europe, and I don't know, a cruise ship for New Zealand, something like that."

Does he look excited? He feels excited. Travelling, with Aziraphale, on purpose, just because they can. It's a brave new world and no mistake.

¹ It is worth noting that a drive from London even to just the Scottish Borders would usually take at least five or six hours, even in the best traffic.