[video]

[blessedarethebookmakers]

[he stands in front of a window, winter light streaming in around him and highlighting his white wings. Clever people may notice he's added another ring, silver and black on the fourth finger of his left hand as he folds them in front of him and beams. More than his usual polite interest, his eyes are shining and he looks positively radiant and may, in fact, be glowing just a hair.

When he speaks, his voice is like warm honey]

Hello, I'd like to take the time to welcome all the newcomers to our lovely little situation. It may seem odd and even frightening to be so far from home. You may feel overwhelmed by the task ahead of you and that you may not be able to accomplish healing the corruption that has blighted this land. But I can assure you, it's possible. Some of it has already been cleansed and purified.

How, you may ask?

Why, through our efforts. As a unit. As a group. A team even. Everyone has value and worth here. We are all able to contribute. And there are many here who would help you and guide you to settling in. Finding your way. I'd call upon Lydia if you needed a ready mind and an open ear. Or Eleanor or Richie if you wanted someone to drink and commiserate with. Michael is always splendid to talk to. If there are any children among you, Webby [goodness, what a name] and Leia are wonderful playmates. [so he assumes]

And there are plenty of others here to help.

As for me, I am your local librarian. [his grin widens as this is very new and not even Crowley knows it yet] The selection here is rather small and limited at the moment,but feel free to come in and browse and check out [his wings twitch a little at that] at your leisure. But do see the books are returned in a timely manner. After all, I know where you live. [a smile as if it's a joke]

To that end, I am offering a slight commission for any one who can bring me a book that they find in the wilds or wherever. If you're interested, please take stock of what the library already offers. I'm not interested in copies of mundane things here, but other sorts of books. They don't necessarily have to be non-fiction, but any sort of spell work, spell craft or magic theory that you can find I will pay top dollar for. And also limited or first editions.

[he is not sure where he'll get the top dollar, but nevermind]

Aside from that, welcome to all who have come.

If you have any questions or wish to seek the personal attentions of the head librarian, my consultation hours are posted on the office door.

Comments

[blessedarethebookmakers]

His flush only deepened. Really, debate over evil or not, he should not give the demon that much to work with and yet--

"I suppose that can be arranged." Goodness if only his face weren't so heated.

"Just give me a moment to clean up and I will see what your wicked intentions are."

[serpentinthegarden]

Lingering in the doorway he did smile then. Just a moment to clean up! That wasn't much to ask at all.

"Take your time, angel."

But not too long his golden eyes asked. Crowley moved from the doorway into the bedroom and set about making himself more comfortable as he settled in to wait.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Oh those eyes. What he wouldn't do for them. It was rather frightening, actually. He hummed to himself and bustled about cleaning up. He couldn't imagine why his heart was fluttering so. It wasn't as if this was new. But it was the first time for a coupon!

"Goodness! Get it together." He murmured this to himself as he patted his cheeks. Love or not, there was no reason go to in there grinning like a loon. Crowley would just give him that smirk and make it absolutely impossible for him to gain any sort of ground.

So he would be calm and composed he thought as he took off his coat and hung it over his arm. Crowley's gloves were on the table still and he stroked his fingers over them, thinking that Crowley's slender hand had been in it.

Honestly. He clicked his tongue at the new surge of fluttery emotions and, on impulse, tucks them into his coat pocket. If Crowley wishes them again, well, he'll have to fetch them. With a hum he hangs his coat up and then folds his hands in front of him and comes to the doorway of the bedroom. It is very difficult not to smile as he sees Crowley so he tries to turn it into something politely questioning instead of beaming from all angles.

[serpentinthegarden]

In those few straightening up moments Crowley had been given the opportunity to settle in. His shoes were sitting under the chair his Victorian coat had been neatly folded and laid down on. His necktie was here too. In fact he had shed himself of any restrictive bit of fashion that might have gotten in the way of his lounging across the cloud matress.

The answers those politely questioning eyes wanted was in the demon's hand. The coupon he had selected was waved teasingly back and forth in the air but not addressed straight away.

"Back at the castle you wanted to know if there was anything I was curious about..."

He smirked and looked to the coupon, then back at Aziraphale.

"There is something. We have come very close to it a few times but something always happens. So... I guess I should ask you how bold you are feeling? Ready to go all the way, Aziraphale?"

The coupon was held out for the angel to read as Crowley looked up at him with those golden calculating eyes. He nearly held his breath wondering if the request would be too much. Would it spark another silly argument or would the angel fluff or... Even blush?? Giggle happily and set upon him or maybe just take the sweets and run? The anticipation was torture.

The coupon read:

'Due to an act of goodness this coupon entitles the bearer the following...

Good for one evening of preening.'

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"All the--!" His wings flared! He knew he didn't have that one in there! Even if he couldn't remember. Had he left in a fill in the blank somewhere? Had Crowley taken advantage of it?! Just what did he mean? His face went completely red. He opened and shut his mouth a few times , but found no words...

Reaching out he took the card.

"You cad! You did that deliberately!" And never mind that his feathers were fluffed.

He tried to maintain indignation, but it was impossible in the face of Crowley's beautiful laughter ringing through the room.

"Right." He rolled up his sleeves. "You asked for it."

And he pounced, fingers moving unerringly to the most ticklish spots on the demon's wiry body.

[serpentinthegarden]

Already nearly doubled over in laughter at the outraged response he fell very easily to the sudden new attack. It was worth it though!!! So worth it! Aziraphale's cheeks were so red!! And the wings, HA, the wings!!! Had to be three times the size they normally were!! "I didn't!!!" Crowley gasped as he curled into a protective ball but only ended up laughing all the harder when those evil divine fingers found every single ticklish area. "Read it again! AHHAA!! Says preening, not tickling!!" He rolled in a bid to escape but only ended up trapping himself as he very nearly landed in the angel's lap. "Preening not tickling, Angel!"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Mm. I must have misread." But he is content with this vengence and smiles at Crowley in his lap. In stead of tickling he mussed the demon's hair and ran fingers through those mutton chops before feeling the length of his throat and into the collar of his shirt.

"So who is preening whom?"

[serpentinthegarden]

"You need it."

He couldn't help it! Revenge though they may have had those silly wings were still fluffed in all directions! Those feathers were clearly in need of a good taming. But being equitable, and not the slightest bit distracted by the hand pressing aside his high collar, he made a counter offer.

"Or we could take turns."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"I suppose I do..." He smiled, looking down at him. How could he not? This gorgeous creature in his lap. He was almost loathe to lose him. But was determined to have him back into it by the end of this.

"And we shall, my dear. I wouldn't miss the opportunity to make you squirm." And before that could be argued with-- "But first, of course, in order to use the coupon at all, you must pay with a kiss." He tapped his lips with a forefinger.

[serpentinthegarden]

"Is that a rule?"

Having read that coupon entirely several times he didn't remember seeing that particular activation clause.

"I don't seem to recall that being in any fine print."

Laying across the angel's lap was a very cozy place to be but if a kiss was required... Crowley pushed himself into an upright position, still utilizing Aziraphale's lap as it was a very comfortable perch, and slowly wound his arms around the angel's neck. The kiss was gradually sank into as he allowed his fingers to play with the little hairs at the back of the angel's neck long before his lips warmly pressed themselves against those more Heavenly aligned ones.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Mm. Perhaps it's just one time only..." He sucked in a breath at the weight on his lap and those slender fingers tickling the back of his neck. He set his hand at the small of Crowley's back, noticing ride away his shirt had rode up a little two fingers were gracing across warm skin.

He hummed into the kiss, wings rowing once, twice slowly in the air. Though if you would have asked him he wouldn't have known what you were talking about.

"Dangerous demon."

[serpentinthegarden]

"One time only... that's a shame."

Crowley sighed as if disappointed but moved back in to break that rule with a second kiss. After all what good were rules if you couldn't break them?

The hiked up state of his shirt was made all the more obvious by the breeze from those wings as it gently chilled the exposed skin but it was those fingers that were given the most attention. There were only the two of them but they were warm and so very soft. Naughty too to have found their way in there so easily! He was dangerous, this was dangerous but... danger could be encouraged.

"You can have the shirt," he spoke ever so innocently like this wasn't any sort of temptation to have a shirtless demon in a lap at all, "If you want. Yeah... given it some thought, even if it is the fashion around here I don't really think I can do Victorian anymore. Those stiff collars..."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

That wasn't going to be the only thing stiff if this kept up. It was dangerous and intoxicating and he couldn't help but indulging in it more. Crowley's skin felt so good under his fingers that he slipped his whole hand against it, sliding his fingertips up the ridge of his spine.

"Is that you volunteering to go first?" He hummed a little. "Fine with me... but you may find it...exhausting." And with that he stroked the skin around a wing joint with a fingertip and the faintest edge of a nail.

[serpentinthegarden]

Exhausting! What a wicked thing to suggest! And with that nail running over the skin near his wing he fully believed that. It sent actual shivers running down his back where the angel's hand had just passed.

He hadn't meant to offer to go first he had meant to offer eye candy or... or... The wing nearest the teasing hand flexed and extended of its own accord as if to display how long it's dark feathers were in absolute and complete surrender. Silly, traitorous thing! It was shot a glare but too late for the desire not to be known. He could deny it but... Crowley sighed, not much point in that really now.

"Please?"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Aziraphale laughed at the display--especially since it was apparently unconscious. Truth be told he rather liked it this way--even if he was sure his preening would have to wait.

"You only have to ask, my dear." He kissed him soundly and then slipped his hand free to slowly begin unbuttoning Crowley's shirt. "Though I am worried you'll be a bit cold. So I hope you don't mind if I warm you." And he kissed a bit of exposed collarbone as the shirt opened.

[serpentinthegarden]

"Mmmm!" The pleased sigh was the sound of his not minding in the least if he were warmed. Though really... how could he ever get cold when Aziraphale was around? He always seemed to have the opposite problem. He was sure his cheeks must be warming, but hopefully they hadn't gone pink. One lost all their edge with pink cheeks. His own arms loosened their hold around Aziraphale's neck to slide along the the angel's shoulders, leaving one to hold each one as his own long neck craned to one side to allow for further kisses. "Should be your day," he whispered nearly breathlessly at least attempting to make this about celebrating Aziraphale's new job, "Ought to be you, really."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Quite pink. But he shall pretend not to notice as he lavished that neck with kisses, hoping to get more pleased sighs. The shirt was unbuttoned, but it seemed his mouth was occupied so he let it remain fallen open for now, letting his hands roam over Crowley's chest and stomach, down his sides, over his hips and back up his spine again to massage the joints with both hands, letting his fingers warm them.

Then he leaned up and kissed him soundly, tasting his lower lip before looking into his eyes.

"If my day isn't about reducing you to a quivering mess of need, then it's hardly my day at all, is it?"

[serpentinthegarden]

Aziraphale's shoulders were held quite tightly as if the demon were afraid he might just tumble off that lap and roll straight on off the bed if he didn't clutch firmly onto something. He had spoken of the angel's hands once in a curiously unguarded moment but he hadn't dared to say what those lethal weapons could do to him. The soft things danced over his body eliciting sensations that could inspire him to cut a devil... Satan save him. He was absolutely clay in the master sculptor's hands willing to be touched and formed into what ever shape the maestro desired.

And then the angel had to go and say that...

Crowley frowned, using those fingernails of his to dig ever so slightly into the shoulders he still had a death grip on.

"I'm not quivering."

He was all but doing that! Erm... maybe he should have said the whole thing? Not being quivering implied by saying nothing that he was still a mess of need.

Whatever. Point stood. He was a big mean demon not some sweet little cream puff you could just... Ouh! That did feel good! Those wing joints being attacked again caused one of those delighted sighs the angel had so been wanting to hear and a flap as Crowley made a feint attempt to unbalance the angel enough to gain some sort of edge.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

That grip was wonderful. If the demon wasn't already pinked and flustered, there would be a lot said with that grip. He smiled benevolently at the frown and even more so at the sigh.

"Not yet, my dear. But I've only just begun." Those wings were rowing, trying to unbalance him or perhaps in unconscious desire. "But it looks like some devilish things are eager for me to continue. And so I shall."

He let go of those joints to press a hand against the center of Crowley's chest and gently, but firmly, push him back on the cloud, his wings splaying dark on either side.

"Though of course your wings are the ultimate goal, I'd be remiss if I completely ignored the chest region. That's where the flight muscles are."

He shifted, straddling the demon in order to lean in and kiss the hollow of his throat. The ridge of his collar bone. To make his way down and over that chest, capturing a nipple lightly in his teeth and testing just how much pressure to apply to make the wicked thing twitch.

[serpentinthegarden]

Those devilish things flared brilliantly in surprise when instead of unbalancing the angel to sent him back into the mattress they were the ones to land against it. And then there were those hands again, running over his chest... Mm, the lips against the soft skin at his neck, the collar bone... The teeth! Those were a rude shock but one his body responded readily to. Not much pressure was required at all to sent every bit of him reaching out for Aziraphale's touch. It was a some what awkward position to be in with the angel straddling him. Aziraphale had to be able to feel just how desired he was and the only thing Crowley could reach out to grab was the front of the angel's shirt, in a weak attempt to tug him back down to where he too could have some sort of say in where those lips landed next. "I thought they would be in back." Which was less a complaint and more a breathless and entirely distracted attempt at banter.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He could tell, oh yes he could. But for the moment chose to ignore it. He didn't pull away from the tug, but went where he would so long as Crowley would allow it, reveling in the breathlessness of his voice.

"Are you sure? I thought they might be here." And he gave the same treatment to the other nipple, adding a flicking tongue as well before moving away. "Or perhaps...further down?" He gave Crowley a teasing smirk as he kissed the center of his chest and then just under his ribcage.

His hands he let travel down Crowley's slender waist and to his trousers where be played with the button at the front, an unspoken question.

[serpentinthegarden]

In that haze of contented sensation he had slipped into Crowley decided that the flick of an angelic tongue was the most diabolical expression of evil in the universe. It had always looked so innocent, flicking out to lick up some stray bit of frosting off a dessert fork or innocently dancing over his own during a kiss. Maybe it had always been a hidden instrument of wicked delights.

Those hands too... Soft and warm they may have been but weren't they quick to elicit a squirm by fiddling around with that button?

"Oh!"

He gaped up at the angel with wide intrigued but suspicious eyes.

"Oh no, you don't. I could buy that chest muscles might have something to do with wings but that... That's something else altogether!"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Oh no?" An innocent flutter of eyelashes. It was hard to maintain perfect innocence as that squirm had been delicious. He wanted more of it and fully intended to have his way. He let that oh sink in as he continued to kiss his way down Crowley's stomach, lingering a his navel and nibbling just below it. Meanwhile his fingers tugged the button free as he watched the demon's expression attentively.

"Well it certainly looks as if it's straining to get off the ground." He kissed just a hair lower. "I should really sort it out...make sure it's thoroughly clean." Another nibble and flick of the tongue, as if to give him an example of just how he intended on doing it.

[serpentinthegarden]

Navels were a curious thing. By rights they shouldn't have any as they had been created and not born but clearly it had been a concept God had been toying with long before the first human prototype. Or maybe it came as a hidden bonus when one was issued a body for use on Earth.

Whichever way it was Crowley ended up giggling when his was attacked... Everything down there seemed especially suseptible to touch right now but Crowley didn't think it was the least bit fair discovering he had a ticklish stomach while an angel was threatening to do things to others bits that he was fairly certain were never intended to be treated in the same way as a dessert fork.

"You can't... Like that?"

He squirmed again, very nearly gasping again at that much lower kiss.

"I'm pretty sure it's not meant to be like that."

He actually wasn't at all sure of that and doubtless that showed in those cheeks which could not possibly glow any redder and those big golden eyes which actually looked to the angel's for guidance... This would naturally always be denied if called on it.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

The ticklish stomach was noted and the giggling enchanting. It was wonderful as always to make Crowley laugh. The gasp too. More of those, please. An eternity of those. And those innocent eyes. Those rosy cheeks. It was all perfect.

"Oh I'm quite sure it's meant to be this way." He tugged the demons trousers down a bit lower, exposing him a bit to the cold but warming that poor dear cold thing with his palm. "And, after all, since this coupon is for good deeds well done, it behooves me to be thorough." He shifted to let his breath ghost over the tip, watching those alarmed eyes.

"Don't you think?"