Character Meet and Greet

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"You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality."

I. Exploring Main Street! Take a trip through a little town taken straight from 1890's America. Visit the shops, dine at the restaurants- but don't forget you are here on a mission. As an Apprentice, you will need to gather some supplies. A weapon, or tool for producing magic.

But we understand if that corn dog cart on Market Street is your first stop.

II. Apprentice Class 101! Practice your spell casting and weaponship on the open commons behind the Firehouse. Sparring, casting or just general confusion abound here. Try not to hit anything or...anyone, the paint on the infirmary is still drying.

III. Look out! A level 2 corroded monster has managed to get onto Main Street! Protect the citizens and defeat the cur, and please watch the damage, the paint is still wet!

IV. One Little Spark! Go ahead, show us the strength of your imagination and come up with your own scenarios. Just, stay out of the Corroded Lands...if possible.

Comments

[serpentinthegarden]

This was dizzying. Azriaphale agreeing with him, giving him hope that there might just be enough wickedness in the angel to allow this. The worst part was that Crowley totally believed him. Everything the angel said about starting over here and having the right idea for once wasn't questioned for more than length of beats between the angel's swift heart. Logic could eventually win even an angel over, there was nothing to say it couldn't, and he could get tired of doing the right thing. Why not? Sometimes he grew tired of doing the wrong thing!

Happily oblivious to the very thin line Azriaphale tread between truth and lie oftentimes called the 'sin of omission' Crowley allowed himself to relax. Dropping some of the guarded nature the wine hadn't already done away with to close his eyes and allow Azriaphale to comfort away his concerns.

"I thought I would have to work on you longer before you would agree."

Really this was the only brief suspicion he held.

"Glad I was wrong."

His hand slid just slightly under the lapel of Azriaphale's jacket, but no further as this seemed a rare moment even to a demon. One to be savored and not ruined with a sudden rush of feeling. Cuddling, humans called it. He couldn't say he had ever had a good cuddle before. He rather liked it.

"Annnd... we don't have to stay here forever. We could move, find some place by the lagoon or..." Were there other places in the park? "Some where inland." Had to be. "You'll see, it'll work out."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

It was rare, this moment. Rare and exceedingly precious. There were no diamonds that could compare or misprinted books either. It was a moment as sweet and delicate as a chocolate truffle. And he was using it for his own advantage. To do the Right thing. With a capital. The only thing he could do. He didn't understand why the Right thing always seemed to feel a bit wrong. Like betrayal. Like abandonment. Perhaps it was his own failing for feeling so deeply for a member of the opposition, and to allow them to feel so deeply for him.

He hummed and wrapped his wing around him, slipping his other hand around him to stroke hie back, resting his cheek against the soft hair. Though that a demon could even feel this emotion, strong and pure and strangely uncorrupted-- it gave him an odd sort of hope. Though he couldn't quite explain it what he was hoping for.

"I suppose I'm just tired." Which was also true. "It's this place, I expect. Doesn't quite go as easy on our mortal forms as we'd like." And he would be even more tired to go back alone...to stop the end of the world or-- he supposed, to fight in the Last Great War.

At least he wouldn't have to fight a certain demon. At least that would be safe. A little secret treasure locked away.

"So long as we're in walking distance of the best restaurants, anywhere will be fine." Within reason. "I'm almost starting to believe we can actually do this."

And he is, which is even harder because he knows what he must do, regardless of what they manage to build here.

[serpentinthegarden]

That was a delightfully soothing sound that hum. Much like a lullaby but lighter and betraying feelings he couldn't say he really understood. He assumed it was easier for an angel. Their entire existence was all about light and emotion. Azriaphale could probably set a name to this feeling and hold no doubts about it whatsoever. Crowley found himself puzzling over it like some half-remembered fragment of memory. It was a little daunting but being a creature of doing what feels the best and damning the consequences he saw no reason to end or prematurely move away from what was beginning to feel like the most comfortable place in the universe.

His dark wings neatly tucked behind him as the angel's white ones move to embrace him and he nuzzled the angel's cheek with the top of his head... Which he would claim was only him adjusting position if he should have been called out for it.

"I don't think it's possible to be out of walking distance there is only the one road."

Speaking softly as he tried to mental map the place. It was tiny for a city, very 'small town America', that also explained the hot dogs being sold by nearly every street vendor. Americans loved them. He hoped for angel's sake they did have more fitting restaurants hidden some where. It wouldn't be the Ritz, but they might have sushi.

Azriaphale just being tired was easily believable too. This place did have a way of wearing on a formerly immortal being. Crowley gave a light grunt of agreement, arching just slightly into those back rubs.

"Yeaa... Forgot all about that when we started this. Used to be able to drink all night."

Silk was it? Nah, maybe not, but it was soft. Gentle like a worn in old sofa, but elegant. Suddenly fascinated by Azriaphale's shirt Crowley's hand wandered over its surface, just rubbing the fabric as the angel had his back.

"But you can rest now. There's nothing here to worry you."

He certainly had nothing to fear from the serpent coiling up beside him.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Inasmuch as he was anxious about the future, it was starting to fade, melt into the moment-- brush of his hair, the restlessness of his hand, the startling warmth of his fingers. It was all a welcome distraction.

"Perhaps you'll just have to build up a resistance again." There was something mellowing about drinking. Not that he should be encouraging this sort of thing. But if it allowed this well...it couldn't be completely horrible. He absently moved his hand up under Crowley's wing, massaging the joint there to see how he would like it.

He smiled at the idea of nothing to worry about. There was plenty to worry about. Corruption to fight for one thing. Spells to learn. Worrying about the mortality of their bodies that seemed to require sleep and could get hurt by flying rubbish bins.

"If you say it, I'll believe it," he murmured, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of his head, smelling his hair, closing his eyes. "Despite all evidence to the contrary."

[serpentinthegarden]

The wing twitched reflexively away at the touch, like it had chanced too near fire and didn't wish to burn, but soon settled back into the angel's hand. It did feel wonderful. Over the centuries he had been to many a massage parlor, they had been all the rage in Rome, but he had never had his wings done. Would have defeated the purpose of taking human form if he had suddenly whipped them out and given the whole game away.

He ought to have been more guarded but wine and angel conspired to make him sigh quite contentedly as he drifted slightly further away from wakefulness.

"There can't be that many werewolves."

Crowley wasn't worried, not a bit! In this moment there felt like there was nothing at all in the full entirety of the universe that he needed to worry about. There was no Armageddon, no massive loss of humanity, no Corruption, no Heaven or Hell... there was just them.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"No, I'm sure there aren't."

He couldn't help but notice the drowsiness in Crowley's voice, or the way he returned his wing to be massaged; which Aziraphale did with gentle diligence. He is half tempted to join him but that would require shifting and getting his coat off and settling down, and he would rather Crowley sleep than disturb him. It was such a peaceful, gentle moment that he could hardly do anything else.

[serpentinthegarden]

Gradually his hand slid down Aziraphale's chest until it caught on his jacket's V where buttons held fabric together. In a continuation of this rare moment it hadn't been a gesture meant to tempt but merely something that happens when gravity begins to win against consciousness. He wasn't quite asleep yet but he was drifting.

"Aziraphale?"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Honestly he doesn't even see it as a temptation, just as it is-- and it's beautiful in a way to see the demon so warm, so comfortable. He is quite content himself. He smiles a little at his name. It's always so nice to hear it from him.

"Yes, my dear?"

[serpentinthegarden]

Let's stay like this forever, just freeze time and remain here in this one moment...

"Nah... never mind."

Bit too much like a confession that. Besides those powers probably worked as well as all of his others, which was not at all. But, that thought seemed to stir him and he shifted as if trying to move away from the angel's shoulder only he was far too heavy from contentment to actually leave, so he ended up staying right where he was as his fingers found the top button of Aziraphale's jacket.

"You wanted this removed didn't you?"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He was sufficiently distracted by the question to not dwell on whatever Crowley might have said.

"Oh I thought you'd never ask... But er... So long as it's not to much trouble. You do seem awfully tired." And as much as he wanted to be free of at least some of his clothes, he didn't want to disturb the tired demon.

[serpentinthegarden]

"Nope, not too much trouble."

Despite what body and drink were telling him he didn't actually want to go to sleep right now. So even if it was a struggle to wrestle himself free of this comfy place tucked into Aziraphale's wing he had to move now or be lost to it.

Crowley struggled to sit up on the bed, blinking some what groggily as he yawned... both of which were new experienced for him. He didn't usually blink and hadn't, to the best of his knowledge, ever yawned before. It was all a bit terrifying.

"Oh I don't like that... It feels like I'm not in control of myself at all."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Aziraphale missed the warmth immediately but let him go, flexing his wings behind him again. Despite the distance, he smiled. It was impossible not to. There was something simply adorable about him being so tired that he yawned.

"You just need some sleep. It's been a long day." It was barely three o'clock but the sentiment sounded right. He stood to walk to the side of the bed and gave him a gentle push. "Come on. Everything will be fine."

[serpentinthegarden]

The gentle push was enough to encourage him back onto the bed. He was too tired to resist... not that he had thought to. It was a unique event, nearly as unique as that cuddle, finding yourself forced back into a bed by an angel.

He looked up from the pillows, his eye catching Aziraphale's pale blue, questioning the gesture and wondering if this might lead to more... hoping it might. Unblinking he locked the gaze, trying as if though hypnosis to encourage Aziraphale to act.

And then he yawned... damn! Entirely breaking the temptation!

Grudgingly he agreed the sleep was unavoidable but he did still reach up to try and loosen the buttons of Aziraphale's jacket. He had said he would help with that and he might just manage it before sneaky sleep won out.

"Just don't let me sleep through the entire 21st Century?"

It wasn't like the 14th century, he didn't want to miss all of it.

"And turn around to sit here?"

He patted the side of the bed right next to him. It would be easier to maneuver jacket over wings if there weren't such a great distance between them.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Well, he did look remarkably good against the pillows, Aziraphale had to admit. There was something nice in the contrast of it, all that dark against the white and the red of his hair. He was half tempted to sit and lean down and run his fingers through it. but then the yawn made him smile again. Adorable.

"I promise the 21st Century won't be safe from you." He sits as asked, taking off his shoes even and wiggling his socked toes. "I still don't know how you can sleep at all, let alone an entire century." He considers this and adds. "On purpose, I mean."

[serpentinthegarden]

Crowley didn't consider himself the least bit adorable. He was a terrific bad ass and hot if anything. Being 'adorable' was more in the realm of angels... which explained why Aziraphale wiggling his toes like that had come across to him as adorable.

"You've never gone to sleep?"

The question was asked in a rush of surprise as he slid the angel's jacket up over his shoulders where it, predictably, became entangled in his wings. He started on the right wing first, guiding it gently around the fabric, and smoothing down those feathers that were ruffled out of place by the jacket's passing over them.

"You've been on Earth for eons and you were never tempted to try it? Not even once?"

Then the left was given the same treatment, but much more slowly as from some reason the feathers on this side seemed far more determined to hold on.

"Or do you mean you have slept you hadn't meant to?"

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Oh that is unpleasant." He doesn't like the jacket sliding over his wings and it's difficult to stay still, especially when Crowley is smoothing out his feathers, the contact making his wings twitch. It's so close. So intimate. Though he prefers it to the rumpled feel of bent and ruffled feathers.

"No not really. Well, not on purpose. Well-- not that I remember." Closing ones eyes and waking up in a slightly different place is hardly sleep exactly. It's more like a bad decision. "Evil never sleeps so Good must be constantly vigilant." He sighs in relief as his other wing is slowly freed, that feels much better. Though he still has a shirt and a vest to go and he never realized there would be a drawback to so many layers.

"It's a pity good didn't realize you were such a reprobate," he says, turning to give Crowley a far fonder smile than he meant to.

[serpentinthegarden]

"Evil sleeps some times. Especially when you have to survive through the 14th century. Nothing good came of the 14th century!"

His lips curled into a little frown that Aziraphale had just used the word unpleasant. It could have been far worse had any of these feathers become caught and tugged free. He had been so careful but had it hurt anyway? What did one do for a pulled feather? The thought of soothing those aches away with a kiss only deepened with that fond smile.
How irritating when he found himself actually doing something else!

"We might have to take to wearing robes again. Horribly out of fashion but they were easier to get around a pair of wings."

He slid away, just enough to open up a place beside him on the pillow which was then given a pat just like the bed had been earlier.

"It seems to me that good could sleep, so long as evil was also sleeping."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"I think I would rather suffer than wear a robe." He flops beside him on his side, wings stretched out behind him as he rubs his cheek against the softness of it and shifts until he gets comfortable; eyes closed and sighing.

"The 14th century was an absolute nightmare. I would have slept if I could have managed it but there was corruption everywhere and we put in quite a bit of overtime trying to tempt... convince people to do good. I was even a monk for a time but the abbot kept looking up my skirts whenever I was on a ladder."

Which wasn't often, truth be told. And it was probably because the man was looking for those silk undergarments he ought not to be wearing as someone who had taken a vow of poverty. But poverty was a human invention and so he didn't think he should be forced to take full part in it.

"And that may be true but Evil is sneaky and how does Good know it won't get up when Good has its eyes closed unless Good takes precautions?"

As his eyes were closed right now and had been since he laid down because if he couldn't see temptation it wouldn't be so difficult to stay here and be tempted. It wasn't as if he didn't know what Crowley were up to.

"In other words, my dear." He slid a hand around Crowley's waist, pressing them a little closer. "Don't even think about it."

[serpentinthegarden]

Crowley nodded, feeling much the same way about it, maybe more so. He preferred to wear the fashions of the age he was in not the ones from the centuries he had passed through. But Aziraphale's eyes were tightly closed. He might have felt the motion but he wouldn't have seen it. He also wouldn't have seen the bright smirk that suddenly appeared on Crowley's face at that confession.

"You had a Abbot trying to look up your skirts?"

Deep, deep smirk.

"Good taste that Abbot but really! That's very Canterbury Tales."

Crowley's interpretation of the event might have been less 'close to the truth' and more 'wish fulfillment'. And telling a demon not to think about it was like drawing a bright red highlighter arrow right to it... all he could do was think about it! Like that tree in the middle of the garden, don't touch THIS... flashing neon sign to do just that!
Now the it in question might have been different than expected. He found he wanted that closeness back. To be snuggled up on Aziraphale's shoulder, to be able to set his forehead against the angel's and to breath in the comforting scent of the man... and oh, temptation accomplished! He was pulled close as if he had any intention at all of escaping.

Just as he had hoped his forehead came to rest on Aziraphale's and, as if creating a mutual pact, his hand landed on the angel's hip in a 'if you move I'll know it too' way and not at all in a 'I'd love to cuddle you again way'.

"How did you handle it, that Abbot?"

He decided to ask to cover his actions and maybe get an amusing bedtime story out of the deal as well!

[blessedarethebookmakers]

"Well what do you think the Canterbury Tales were based off of? Not that one in specific but..." He trailed off as their foreheads touched and he could feel Crowley's breath ghosting over his face. He was tempted to grab a little inspiration, but that would only go downhill fast in this position, so he resisted.

"With--" He frowned and moved that hand up to his waist. "-- a liberal use of straight pins, and generally avoiding ladders. But they had the sweetest apples that grew over the garden wall and it was heaven compared to barely bread and thin soup. The beer was amazing though. They kept bees too. Nothing like fresh honey. And bees sing very beautifully if you know how to listen." Which he did because he was an Angel. It was what they did. Listened. Loved. In his case far too much.

"Have you ever tasted pure honey, Crowley?"

[serpentinthegarden]

Crowley's smirk transformed into a snicker as his eyes began to close.

"I always wondered why they ended up naming them 'safety pins'."

His voice was beginning to take on the lazy drawl of one fighting back against the evils of sleep, or the goodness of sleep, whichever it was, so Aziraphale's question was answered with dulled senses and far too truthfully!

"Once, a few hours ago."

The currently not-so-wily serpent admitted.

"On a park bench."

[blessedarethebookmakers]

He is adorable. Completely and utterly. Aziraphale can't help but smile and reaches up to stroke his fingers through the hair at his temple, glancing over the curling snake before stroking the back of his ear with gentle fingertips. Honey indeed. He couldn't help but be flattered by it.

He supposed he should leave it there. No, he knew he should. But the problem with the feeling that no one was watching was that he was starting to care less and less. And what was a little further anyway? He shifted just a bit closer, cradling the back of his neck.

"That wasn't honey, my dear." He leaned in just a little further. "That was ambrosia." And kissed him very lightly, lingering there to taste his breath.

[serpentinthegarden]

Crowley coiled as close as he could, enjoying the ambrosia which had surprisingly graced his lips and sending a flicker of tongue chasing after the sensation once it had gone as if in human form he could still taste the air. As it turned out it the action still worked surprisingly well to judge distance. Since there was barely any space left between himself and Aziraphale he ended up discovering those lips again, first with that searching lick, and then again when he moved back in for another taste of that wonderful food of the Gods.

[blessedarethebookmakers]

Oh, this was why he was hesitant. This is dangerous. Exceedingly so. The little flicker across his lips sends chills through him but even more when Crowley comes in again. Well, in for a penny. He opens his mouth a little, inviting him to come explore further if he wants and slides his hand down, exploring the demon's side, his waist, the length of his leg which he pulls over his own so there is almost no space between them now.

[serpentinthegarden]

Any passing thought he might have had about sleeping was well and truly banished now, replaced by others much less safe and almost certainly wicked enough to worry an angel. Slow down Crowley, not too much, not too fast...

He told himself these things but the invitation was there! Right in front of him and it was simply too much temptation for a demon to resist.

His leg directed over the angel's he moved in so there was no space left between them at all. Hip to hip, chest to chest, some what vaguely reminiscent of the wrestling deities statue in his apartment in that the only bits free of the embrace were his darkly flared wings. Aziraphale's hand had moved down, his moved up, clutching at the fabric covering the angel's back where he thought it might just stay out of trouble. And the kiss was deepened as the slightly parted lips had offered, slowly and with an appreciative sigh of delight.