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... 

Comments

[az_shrimp_horny]

Right!

[She makes a face, imitating Chidi's whine.]

I can't lie! It's wrong! Kant says you can't lie!

[Snorting, she drains the rest of her drink, setting the glass down with a solid thunk.]

We had to lie so the demons wouldn't know who we were! We were incog- Inc- pff. In disguise. I managed to talk him into it, though. Barely.

[At the question she frowned, waving a hand in the air between them.]

We're nothing. Friends. Nothing but friends. [sigh.] apparently we were a thing in some of the reboots. But nnnnot this time. Nope.

[serpentinthegarden]

Kant... can't lie? Is that his real name?? It sounds more like the beginning of a limerick!

[ Well, he couldn't help but smirk at the handwave. Finding it oddly nice that she wasn't attached to anyone with a weird name like Chidi. ]

He sounds like a real downer, Chidi. He could have gotten you all into so much trouble if he hadn't been able to bend the rules. He's not an angel is he?

[az_shrimp_horny]

[She giggled, shaking her head.]

No, no. Emanuel Kant, the philosopher. Chidi was a fucking moral philosophy professor before he croaked.

[She looked mournfully into her empty glass.]

Nah. He's not an angel. He'd suck as an angel. Takes him a couple hours and two stomach aches to decide on any moral question.

[serpentinthegarden]

Oh that just might be worse than being an angel! Professors love to hear themselves talk!

[ Her gaze was followed and... why the hell not, the bartender was given the high sign to refill the empty glass. ]

[az_shrimp_horny]

Right? Everyone hates moral philosophy professors!

[You're the best demon, Crowley. The best.]

He droned on and on and ooooooooon and I just wanted to throw something at him.

[serpentinthegarden]

HA! You should have! Just reached out for a tomato or... or an egg! He would never have seen it coming!

[ The higher ups in Hell always seemed to think so! ]

[az_shrimp_horny]

[She cracked up.]

Oh shit that'd have been good! It'd have been an improvement on the house they stuck me in, too.

[serpentinthegarden]

They put you in a house? Bigger than an apartment... but why am I getting 'Big Brother' vibes?

[ A suspicious eyebrow raise. ]

Was there a Diary Room?

[az_shrimp_horny]

Oh god no, but that'd have been hilarious. But no... It was worse.

[She paused for dramatic effect.]

Clowns. Everywhere. And fugly Icelandic something or other design. It was sooooo bad!

[serpentinthegarden]

Clowns...

[ Crowley's grin broke into a laugh. ]

That's brilliant that is. Diabolical.

[az_shrimp_horny]

[She tries to be grumpy about that. She really does. But the booze isn't making that easy. Neither is the fact that her next drink has arrived. She ends up cracking up, too.]

Right? None of that fucking furniture was comfortable. And the room the bed was in had, get fhi, a sliding door with clowns on either side that played fucking circus music when it closed!

[serpentinthegarden]

[ His hand hit the counter-top with a loud slap this time as he practically doubled over with laughter. ]

No, stop! You're killing me! Circus music in the bedroom!?

[ He teetered forward drunkenly threatening to slide right off the stool he was perched on. ]

That must have made things interesting!

[az_shrimp_horny]

Yeah! Just as it was closing but that place was seriously fucking creepy.

[She cracked up, herself. Though it was followed by a wince.]

Yeah well you're assuming anything happened in there. And as far as I remember nothing did. [She frowned, giving him a thumbs down. ]

[serpentinthegarden]

Nah, you're right. One look at all those clowns would give anyone 'It' vibes.

Real easy though... If you ended up in a house full of clowns to tell you were in the 'Good Place'. It's not exactly subtle.

[az_shrimp_horny]

Yeah 'cept Michael's plan had me believing there was some other Eleanor Shellstrop who did belong there who actually was a good person. Like a humanitarian and shit.

[She took a sip of her drink.]

And the only actual banging going on was two of the other humans there. I got nada. Which shoulda been my first clue, actually...

[serpentinthegarden]

Even humanitarians hate clowns. I think... only clowns like clowns, and maybe mimes. Though I'm pretty sure clowns hate mimes.

[ Did that make any sense? No? Oh well there was more drink here to enjoy. ]

Big, big clue that. I can't imagine anyone passing you by.

[az_shrimp_horny]

Yeah I dunno, I mean we know that Michael kinda sucked at the whole demon thing so who the fuck knows. And yeah, right? What kinda psycho actually likes clowns?

[She waves a dismissive hand, taking a sip of her drink. At the compliment she straightens, smiling and unconsciously sticking her chest out a little.]

Right? A hottie like me? Pfft, you'd have to be an idiot... Or a total egg head.

[You know... Both of the guys she was stuck with. GDI Chidi!]

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Now that was nice... the wicked sort of nice. Eleanor looked good with a smile and a confident attitude. And she was pretty.
So having just a tiny bit of drink left in his cup Crowley raised it in salute of her.]

To Eleanor the hottie you would have to be an idiot to ignore!

[az_shrimp_horny]

[Oh there was something to hearing that come from the lips of the hottest guy in town. She flushed a little, her smile widening as she raised her own glass.]

Damn straight!

[If she had anything going for her it was a shit ton of confidence and a beautiful smile. She took a sip of her drink, resisting the urge to down the rest of the liquid in the glass.]

So how're you doin' on the trashed scale? It feels weird to ask but I can't really tell. You're still giving me the same suave hot demon vibes. You are smiling more, which is nice. Is that weird?

[What? She liked his smile. And his laugh. Fuck. Why did she have to get drunk with one guy she couldn't in good conscious try to sleep with? It wasn't fair. Marks in her favor, though, since if she was any more like her mother she would've tried anyway.]

[serpentinthegarden]

How trashed, there is one sure way to tell... Oi barkeep!

[ He turned as he called the barkeeper over but the man busy washing dished just shook his head leaving Crowley to just shrug at Eleanor. ]

I've been cut off so I must be... oo, really trashed. You can't tell? Probably for the best.

[ It was easy to tell when he stood that he was indeed drunk as he swayed a little uncertainly in place before he rediscovered balance. ]

I am feeling better. Talking to you did that.

[ Which was why the smile. The alcohol and the compliments probably helped too but she was given most of the credit personally. ]

I guess I should... th-- thank you?

[az_shrimp_horny]

I should probably stop, too. If you're cut off I'm pro'lly not far behind.

[She looked up at the bartender who shrugged non commitally. Downing the rest of her drink, she slid the empty glass his way.

She held out a hand as Crowley swayed, ready to help him if he needed it. Once he was steadyish, it dropped back to her lap.

Her eyes widened at those two words.]

Whoa, I didn't expect that. I mean, you're welcome. But wow. [She smiled.] this was fun. We should do it again sometime.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ A demon saying thank you, even with a questioning tone had to be shocking. He realized that after he had said it but lips loosened by drink and all... he didn't see any reason to take it back. ]

Yea, we should do this again! Next time with more drinking and less...

[ Worrying. ]

Everything else.

[az_shrimp_horny]

[She nods, getting off her own stool. She wobbles, grabbing hold of the bar for balance.]

Deal! Good to have a drinking buddy.

[serpentinthegarden]

[ Crowley wobbled towards the door but paused before he stepped through it to perform one more less-than-demonic act. ]

You want a hand getting back to the flats?

[az_shrimp_horny]

[She was in the process of making her own unsteady way towards the door when he made his offer.]

Huh? Oh! Sure, why not. We're going to the same place, right?