2 // Temptation - Video // Late Evening

[serpentinthegarden]

[ The Liberty Inn was playing host to a very, very drunk demon. It had been days since the 'incident' and Aziraphale was apparently doing well... hiding out in the castle and training for the big mission. Crowley was not, neither training or doing well. He slammed the empty bottle back onto the table, knocking the little mirror open as he did so. ]

Just shouldn't have said anything at all... should have enjoyed it while it lasted...

[ He took a long swig from a freshly opened bottle. ]

It's not even like it matters here! It's been over a week! There's no end of the world, no Armageddon... No armies of Heaven or of Hell...

We could do anyth--... literally anything and no one would be around to check up...

[The bartender came around to clean up some of the empty wine bottles and his arm was clung to.]

I can't help that I'm a demon. I can't... it just happened. One day I was creating stars and the next... doing the backstroke in a pool of lava... 

[The poor bartender managed to pull his arm free and finding himself alone and depressed Crowley sighed into his bottle of alcohol..]

Demons don't care, don't love... shouldn't, so why does it hurt so much that he left... 

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[bigbadrose]

[She was going to reply to the mirror, but wow. Gdi Aziraphale. She fucking told you. She fucking said it.]

[And her heart is REALLY with Crowley on this because.... well duh.]

[So she runs over there and yup, gives him a hug. Because Rose hugs demons. It's what she does.]

Your mirror's on, mate.

How much longer you planning to stay here?

[serpentinthegarden]

Wha...?

[ He leaned back as much as he could with a Rose wrapped snugly around his waist and reached weakly for the mirror, only half understanding what she had said. ]

Till morning.

[ The bartender spoke up then. ]

I'm closing at eleven!

[ Crowley sneered and changed his mind then. ]

Till eleven... Sit down Rose! Have a drink...

[bigbadrose]

Isn't it nearly that already?

[But she sits down next to him and watches him with concern... before remembering to school her face calmly, though she's not practiced enough in faking or masking her face, seeing as she was virtually invisible for two years.]

[What is there to say that hasn't been said? Blokes are dumb, and you can't choose who you love. And for some reason they like to run away. Rose would know, she's fond of running away too.]

What are we having?

[serpentinthegarden]

Dun know... lost track of time.

[ He picked up the bottle and squinted at it in long distance like he needed glasses to read the label. ]

Dun know that either. It's so-- some kind of ale.

[bigbadrose]

[Wry grin.] All right, you keep that. Just talk, and I'll listen, yeah? Want some fresh air? They say some bottles taste better al fresco.

[serpentinthegarden]

I'll keep it then.

[ Temporarily cradling the bottle like it was a child even. ]

Air? What's the point? You can do all these things for someone, try to be a better you...

[ Said in a sing song voice. ]

And it doesn't matter... Nothing matters.

[bigbadrose]

[Oh. Crowley. :<]

[Rose hugs him again and checks with the bartender to make sure the bottle is paid for, so she can lead the demon outside.]

It matters. It always matters.

But it always hurts.

Always.

[Yeah... now she's holding onto Crowley for herself because... bluh. Also. Wings. What's up with the wings? Oh right, this is not the Doctor at all, it's a demon. Whatever.]

[serpentinthegarden]

[ The bartender looked up from the glass he was cleaning and nodded that he had been paid.

Crowley meanwhile tucked his wings passively behind his back, unconsciously making it easier for Rose to guide him towards the door while he took another swig from his bottle of ale. ]

Shouldn't. Its'not supposed to happen. I could get into... SO much trouble...

[not here]

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He'd known this would happen regardless. It was inevitable. It felt frustrating in a moment because things could never be what they were; they always had to be something more. But then Crowley was hardly to blame. Aziraphale had let this happen to begin with and now Crowley was suffering for it.

He also severely doubts it just happened. But it's none of his business why Crowley Fell and so he'd never asked. But Crowley did Fall. He was a demon. A poor sad miserable demon and not even the foulest creature of hell deserved this kind of torment.

He could argue the point. Say that they couldn't keep it up. Say that they would have to return home and then would miss it and it would be even worse. An eternity of something they could never have again. He could even argue that it wasn't right, but that was more on his side than Crowley's.

So with nothing to do or say he gets back to work. There is so much still to be done.

[az_shrimp_horny]

[Screw the mirror, Eleanor was already there drinking a big margarita when she heard the rambling. One side of her tried to ignore the scene an just keep drinking and ignoring her own problems.

But there was that little voice. "Eleanor, he sounds like he needs someone to talk to. You could help him."

Fuck that voice.

Except not. She sighed, deciding to do the ethical thing.

Once the bartender managed to escape, she got up, moving down to a bar stool next to the depressed Demon.]

Hey, bud. You look like you could use a drinking buddy.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ His dark wings drooped at the word 'buddy'. After all he had just lost his. ]

Pull up a bottle.

[ The empty bottle of ale he had was pushed aside as in hit the counter as an indication he needed another. It was very quickly provided. ]

What brings you out here?

[az_shrimp_horny]

[Well she called most guys bud at some point, so she really didn't mean much by it... but she did notice that droopage. The wings were a little weird but, hey, so was the rest of this fucked up place so whatever.

She made a face.]

Yeah, unless you're buying, I'm stuck nursing this one. I only got enough cash from Mikey to carry me over til I get a job. Seriously? What kind of kidnapping forces you to get a job? In retail. Now that's hell.

[... did that answer your question?]

[serpentinthegarden]

You're upset you have to get a job?!

[ That seemed the least of his worries. Well... it helped that he had a job. That little hurdle had been jumped already. ]

That's never anything like Hell...

[az_shrimp_horny]

Well it's easier to focus on that than the fact that these yahoos expect me to help save the joint from some "corruption" I haven't seen any evidence of.

[She shrugs.]

Yeah, I've seen it. Parts of it, at least. It's a weird-ass place.

[serpentinthegarden]

More of a basement really, Hell... With leaky pipes.

[ At least in his universe. ]

[az_shrimp_horny]

Really? Wow that sucks. Hell was huge with all sorts of departments and offices and shit. Most people were really well dressed. There was even a museum.

[She paused]

I mean... I only got to see a part of it before we had to make a run for it. I'm sure the places where people were getting tortured were a lot worse.

[serpentinthegarden]

They are.

[ Stated very matter-of-factly before that bottle of ale was given his full attention. Crowley didn't care to go to those areas of Hell unless he absolutely had no other choice but to. ]

They'd like this... ole Hastur and L--Lig... the little one. Always watching and waiting for me to mess up!

Video

[legacyofarose]

[Rosabella was still very new, and was still trying to get properly settled in addition to getting ready for the upcoming task. So she isn't entirely sure where he was, and she didn't know about his world, or even how the other Apprentices got along with each other.

But he'd been nice to her when she first arrived, even he seemed begrudging about it, and she couldn't just ignore how upset he seems.]

Hey...what's going on?

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Crowley squinted and drunkenly looked around the room, at first having difficulty deciding where the voice was coming from and then finally spotting the open mirror. ]

There you are! Thought it was a ghost!

[ The demon struggled to open the cap on a fresh bottle of ale. ]

Been a bad week...

[legacyofarose]

[She watches him for a moment as he tries so hard to open the bottle.]

It looks like it. Do you want to maybe talk about it?

[serpentinthegarden]

[ He used a bit of a fang on the cap and it finally popped free. ]

Shouldn't... It's not the sort of thing you should talk to a kid about.

[legacyofarose]

Even if I'm pretty young, I still might be able to understand. And if anything, talking about it might help.

Why don't you try me?

[serpentinthegarden]

[ He grumbled a few unintelligible things under his breath. Mostly these were a bunch of dirty words all strung together into one long one so nothing of value was really lost by her not being able to hear them. ]

Ever wanted something you can't have?

[legacyofarose]

[She was about to respond no, until she remembered the dream she'd had right before arriving in the Magic Kingdoms.

A dream about kissing a friend...who is, as far as she knows, still technically dating another friend.]

Um... [She gives a slightly nervous laugh.] I...might have.

[serpentinthegarden]

That's the problem.

[ He said as if it explained everything. ]

I shouldn't even want it... It's unnatural for a demon to want something like that...

[ Her unknown thoughts did some what mirror his as he was thinking about a kiss too. ]