demonicmiracle | (duplicity) ic contact

[It hasn't escaped his notice that Aziraphale seems fond of that spot, which is both fortunate and unfortunate, because it turns out he quite likes it, too, and that makes him utterly weak. He exhales a shaky breath, head tilted to give him better access. He at least has the self-control not to squirm.]

Not, uh, not right now, no. Seems like you're enjoying yourself, actually.

So glad that's sorted.

[He's perfectly content to take advantage of the access offered without taking it too far. He feels as though he could endlessly toy and explore just right there, with lips and tongue, a small pinch of teeth. Another soothe of tongue after it.

His hands of his back are warm, a squeeze of arms drawing him back closer against him.]

What's your favorite film?

[Idly, he wonders if there might come a point in this thing between them where he won't be so easily undone by just a few touches, but it certainly isn't going to happen anytime soon. A shiver runs down his spine and he swallows thickly even as he allows Aziraphale to draw him closer, grounding himself with a steady hold around his shoulders.]

Hard question to answer, sort of depends on what I'm in the mood for. Goldfinger's good, always love a Bond film. The Princess Bride if I'm feeling like a bit of a sap. Nosferatu's a classic, too. Why do you ask?

Well... [He pauses to tip his head in more for a nuzzle, letting the tip of his nose tease against his earlobe.]

It occurred to me it's something I don't know about you. Something any human as close as we are to each other would know about their partner.

[He draws back to look at him.]

We never had the leisure for talks like that, either too busy catching up, briefing each other on the next jobs to divvy, or trying to save the world. But now I know.

[Oh, so he's just going straight for his heart, too? It's so unbearably sweet.]

Oh, I dunno, I know a lot of your favourites. [But then, a lot of Aziraphale's favourites have stayed the same for a decent number of decades, especially when it comes to literature and music.] Think it might just be that I don't talk about what I like, the way you do.

[It's fine for some things, he'd have easily admitted that he likes Bond films, but The Princess Bride? It's like letting Aziraphale listen to the music he likes, the revealing songs. Crowley keeps so much of himself wrapped up tight, where no one can get at it, where they can't decide it isn't good enough.]

Yes, that might be it. Regardless, I hope you talk more about it all now. I'm not going to start interrogating you. It would simply be nice to know these things. As they come up.

[He sighs. It's more of a happy sound than anything else.]

I've seen The Princess Bride. It was an outdoor screening in one of the parks one summer. I don't recall which now. It was very sweet. Silly. The sort of thing I've always had a weakness for.

[Hearing Crowley does, too...well, it's not surprising now, not after everything they've confessed and done so far. Had he told him back on Earth, he'd have thought for sure he was having fun at his expense.]

Wuthering Heights. 1939. I've always had a weakness for a Byronic anti-hero.

Oh, you won't be able to shut me up now.

[Something of an exaggeration, but not entirely untrue. He's learning to be more open about — himself, what he likes, what he wants. At least with Aziraphale.]

There's a thing I didn't know, thought you weren't much for watching movies.

[Maybe he'll try to dig up a few more that he thinks Aziraphale will like. He wrinkles his nose at the mention of Wuthering Heights, but leans in to kiss him sweetly regardless.]

You and your Byronic — [Whatever he was about to say is cut short, as he squints, suddenly (playfully) suspicious.] Do you have a type, angel?

[Not that he'd necessarily call himself Byronic anything, but there are a few traits that he shares with the archetype.]

Good.

[He wants to hear anything and everything, no matter how trivial.]

Every now and then. I still prefer the theatre, always will, but some films are nice. I rather enjoyed Bringing Up Baby. I've watched it a few times.

[He laughs with a touch of disbelief.]

If I do, where do you think it came from, you daft thing?

[Crowley groans, over-dramatic as always.]

Bringing Up Baby, for fuck's sake. I'm going to make you watch a film from this century, at least.

[Maybe there's one or two that Aziraphale will actually like.]

Right, me chasing you around the planet is very brooding and tortured of me.

It was a perfectly lovely film. Katharine Hepburn had a particularly standout performance. So did the leopard.

[He adds it with a perfectly straight face.]

Oh. Don't you even try to pretend you can't brood with the best of them. Certainly not all the time. That would get exhausting for anyone.

Hard to go wrong with a leopard in a film.

[As much as he'd like to make an argument about not brooding, he... can't.]

Exhausting, sure. Thank someone I don't spend all day brooding. [It's hard to pretend to be serious when he's still straddling Aziraphale's lap, but he's trying his best.

But another thought occurs to him.] Is that why you were flirting with Alessandro?

[He certainly is the type, especially with the outfits.]

[He blinks at him, head tipping and jerking back just a touch.]

What? No. I flirted with him because he flirted with me first. It was fun and frivolous. He reminds me very much of some of the men from the club. Sorts you just don't see anymore. Why? Did it bother you? Should I not?

[Hm.

It was an idle comment, spoken without thinking, but now he realizes this might be the sort of thing they should likely talk about. He goes quiet for a second, regarding Aziraphale thoughtfully.]

Would be a bit hypocritical of me to say you can't flirt with anyone, I think.

[That's not what he asked. He skims his hands down to settle them at his hips again, a secure hold without being overly intrusive for the conversation.]

I don't care about that. Does it bother you? If it does, you have some say in this.

[The truth is that yes, it did bother him, at least a little, but he's sure that he's probably not allowed to really... tell Aziraphale what he can and can't do. Especially in Duplicity, especially when he's seeing someone else.

The problem is working out how to not lie about it.]

It's not — [He sighs, lifts a shoulder in a lazy shrug.] It's fine, angel. Even if it did bother me, that'd be on me, not you. Since we're not doing the whole monogamy thing, you can flirt with whoever you want to. And more, I suppose, knowing this place.

Stop.

[Firm now. He has dropped any trace of playfulness.]

If something happens that forces me, we both know that's out of our control, and I like to think that neither of us would ever hold something like that against the other.

If it bothers you, you have every right to say so. Let me be the one to decide whether that's fair or not. I know you care about that young man. It doesn't threaten me or upset me. I'm relieved you were able to form a connection here. I don't know if I could've done the same in your place. I don't...I feel differently about humans than you ever did.

[He squeezes, as though he can impress the words into him by touch.]

You've been honest with me about it. You're not doing things behind my back. If you feel threatened when I flirt, then I won't. It's that simple. It's my decision to make. All I'm asking is for your honest feelings about it.

[He knows that tone well enough, forces himself stop and pay attention, hands settling lightly on Aziraphale's chest. This is important, he knows it is, it's just difficult, too.]

I wouldn't. Hold something like that against you. M'well aware it's outside our control.

[Not that he's actually slept with anyone aside from Martin and Aziraphale for a while now. Since the last time with Lyall, but he hasn't forgotten how it felt in the aftermath, realizing he hadn't had full control of himself, and he'd never blame Aziraphale for anything that happened like that.]

And I'm not threatened, I know you're not about to run off with anyone else. [He does, logically, although that doesn't stop the anxiety. But the fact that Aziraphale is asking directly for the truth means he has to give it, it wouldn't be fair not to.] I was a bit jealous, I guess. Doesn't have to be a big deal.

[He nods. He didn't think he would. It's good to bring up the possibility, when they both know it's likely sooner or later. Being on the same page never hurts.]

No, it doesn't, because I don't have to do it again. It's just flirting. It isn't worth making you feel bad. I'm perfectly capable of having an entertaining time with people without interacting in that particular way.

[He can't have this conversation like this; he feels restless and a little trapped, suddenly, so he slips off Aziraphale's lap, taking a few steps away to avoid looming over him.]

It's just jealously, angel, happens to everyone. You're not making me feel bad by flirting sometimes, if that's what you want to do.

[He thought this was important to talk about, and it still is, he just didn't think it'd go like this and now he feels... guilty? Like he's forcing Aziraphale to act or not act a certain way, just because he hasn't got a hold on his feelings.]

You don't have to take my every bloody feeling into account.

[He lets him go, because he can tell trying to hold onto him in this mood would only make him feel worse.]

I wish you'd stop doing that. Minimizing your feelings. I'm not saying any of this because I have to. If I thought I had to, we'd have a problem.

I want to. I want to take your feelings into account when determining how I conduct myself, just as you do for me. I don't understand... Please, help me to understand why it bothers you that I'm taking what you want into consideration.

[Crowley bites his tongue against a flare of anger, because he knows it'd just be a misdirection, that bringing up all the times Aziraphale has disregarded his feelings would only be cruel to the both of them.]

I don't know. [Still a little sharp, because sharpness is easier than vulnerability, but it's the truth.] I haven't got a good answer for you. Just don't like that it feels as if I'm telling you what you can and can't do.

[Even though that's not what this is.]

Well, you're not. In fact, I'd like to see you try.

[Somewhere under that is a little bit of humor, because really, when has he ever done anything he was told to do by anyone except Her?

He resists the urge to stand up. It would only escalate the emotions of this, and that wouldn't be productive.]

I am saying...[He puts his hand to his own chest.]...that making you jealous isn't a price I'm willing to pay for one type of interaction. You aren't telling me I can't. You're being honest about how it makes you feel. Honesty I asked you for. I'm grateful you trust me enough to give it.

Now please trust me enough to know I'm not letting you manage me in some way, or dictate what I do. It's my decision to make.

[Crowley shoots him a dark look, because the thing is, he doesn't have to tell Aziraphale to do something to make it happen. They've been playing games with each other for millennia, and Crowley knows how to get what he wants. The Arrangement, looking after Warlock, so many things were his ideas and he just had to find a way to convince Aziraphale to play along.

It's not what he's doing here, it's just so easy to see how he could. But Aziraphale is being calm and sensible and asking him to trust him and some of the fight goes out of Crowley. He runs a hand through his hair, trying to work out some of the extra energy.]

I don't mind what you do when I'm not around. [It can't bother him if he doesn't have to see it, after all.

He huffs a breath, arms crossed over his chest. Protective, defensive.] I'd just rather not have it rubbed in my face, is all.

[And it had felt a bit like that, when it was in his home.]

Going behind your back? No thank you. [His brows drop down in a straight line.]

And I hope that you understand I don't want things taking place behind my back, either. If it's something it would bother you for me to see or know about, then assume it's probably something that shouldn't be happening. Flirty or otherwise.

I am sorry if that's what it felt like to you. I believed that you would know anything in front of you wasn't even slightly serious. That I'd not disrespect you that way.

It isn't going behind my back if I told you it's alright.

[Crowley sighs, casting a glance skyward in a habit that he hasn't been able to break for some six thousand years, before he crosses back to Aziraphale. Rather than take up his earlier position, he kneels in front of him, hands braced on his thighs.

It's an apology, of sorts, for getting angry.]

This is new to the both of us, yeah? What I know and what I know can be two different things. If that — makes sense.

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