[ 'Poncey pigeons' got a snort out of Lucifer in amusement, taking a sip of his tea- how had Aziraphale known exactly how he likes his tea??- before raising a brow. ]
We're in that awkward time when we have no idea. Will they want war, will they finally just settle for peace, will they listen to Charlie and see that maybe there's another way...? I don't know, but what is your present, I think will end up our future. [ He gave a small shake of his head, looking between the two. ]
But if you two- [ pause. ] Or is it just you, Anth-- Crowley? [ with a look of 'do you prefer that, or is it just your angel?' towards the demon. ] that's stuck on earth? Are you involved in this war if it happens?
[Az has his ways. Or maybe it was less knowing and more... the liquid just knew to become what Lucifer liked. Such is the ways of angelic and demonic magic here.
At the question about his name, Crowley nodded.]
Crowley, please. I--it's my... err... rebranded name. The Anthony was added to fit in with humans. He doesn't much care for it. [Crowley said, jerking his head in Aziraphale's direction. The angel flustered.]
I don't dislike it. It will just take time getting used to.
It's been decades! [Crowley huffed. This was an argument that apparently they had from time to time. One that neither seemed to come to an agreement over.]
It took time to adjust to you changing your name from Craw--
Don't! [Crowley cut him off and the angel puffed out his cheeks like a scolded child. But the serpent returned his attention to Lucifer when it seemed like the angel wasn't going to press the matter further.] We're... well, both stuck here. By choice... in a way. If we go back, after what we did, we'd likely be... ngk...
Erased. [Aziraphale supplied gently and Crowley made a little affirmative sound.] I think we'll be involved if it has anything to do with Earth and humanity. Otherwise, I'd like to think, we'll stay out of it if we can.
[Oh, Crowley knew he would stay out of it, but he wasn't so sure his angel would if Heaven tried calling him back.]
Neither of us have a side anymore. Not officially. We're on Earth's side.
[ When he was relaxed and honestly enjoying himself, Lucifer found it hard to keep a poker face about anything and that was right now. As he watched the two of them, a warm smile formed on his lips that touched his eyes. He put down the cup to its saucer, then waved his fingertips slightly. ]
Crowley it is, then. I hope, for not only both of your sake but the humans you want to protect, that Earth can avoid being caught in the crossfire. There's some Hellborn that can go to the human world on their own - pretty much exclusively Asmodeus' incubi and succubi with a few here and there - but otherwise we don't involve ourselves with humans until they end up a sinner. Heaven... so far as I know, they do involve themselves in some ways but I doubt they'd bring the fight there.
[ Little did he know that there were humans who wanted to get themselves involved in things. ]
So! If you've stopped an apocalypse, hopefully will keep out of this war... what will you both be doing now? I... admittedly don't know much about the human world, so I'm curious!
Oh, incubi and succubi? Crowley! Isn't that what that woman called you once? An incubus? She said you were trying to seduce her. Started a whole lot of rumours, that one. [The angel gave Crowley a wry look but the snake looked agitated. Maybe even a little flustered.]
It was merely temptation, Angel. Nothing happened. I pawned her off on some other bloke. I thought she'd be... harder to tempt. How was I supposed to know her marriage was miserable and she'd do anything to-- Urgh! Not the point!
As I recall, your little temptation caused her to leave an abusive relationship. You saved her and her child from that horrid man. A good deed, I rather think. [Aziraphale looked incredibly proud, like a puffed up bird. Meanwhile Crowley looked like he wanted to hide in his tea cup. The angel addressed Lucifer,] You know, he's the only demon capable of doing positive miracles? A bit of Heavenly influence from time to time. And he didn't burst into flames as he would have you believe. [Smug. Pigeon.]
Oh, shut up. [Crowley grumbled.] So, Heaven is allowed to involve themselves but keeps your lot out if it all? Sounds pretty unbalanced.
Well, I run a book shop! Have done for a very long time now! Mostly we just... live. I read. We have lunch! He... sleeps. Tends to his plants and his car. Generally, we just enjoy humanity and all its splendour! Crowley is far more into the gadgets and knickknacks.
Knickknacks?! You call modern day technology knickknacks?! I also like films! Music! I dance and attend a party from time to time! There's much more to being human--to living with humans than tending plants and sleeping, Angel.
Have you ever read any of their literature, Mister Lucifer? Romance novels? Mystery novels? They're quite imaginative beings! Human creativity never ceases to amaze! And Crowley, well, he's developed quite an imagination as well in all the time around them. I dare say we both have. It's something Heaven and Hell lack.
[Hell had said Crowley had gone native, but so had Aziraphale. They were more human than angel or demon anymore.]
[ Heh. Hehe. Lucifer started to laugh as he listened to the both of them, trying to imagine what scenario had ended up with this as the outcome. He blocked some of his sharp-toothed grin with a hand, but just couldn't stop it from coming. ]
Sorry! As it stands, I enjoy both! While we might be a bit late in getting technology - we usually end up having to wait until someone passes for their knowledge to come below for the most part - we have phones, computers, hellnet... it used to be wildly out of date but once computers really started to kick off, things progressed wildly since then. Of course, Hell has its own entertainment. Television shows, radio, films...
[ Another sip of his tea before he tried not to think about how all too recently, he wouldn't have been able to say a damn thing about what he did all day but now a days? There was a joy that lit up his eyes. ]
I've been helping Charlie with her project in the last few months. To say that the majority of Hell thinks it's a bit of a laughing stock is to be polite about it, but having defended Hell from an Extermination? It's been remarkable how things have started to change for the better. I do have a small library, though getting books from the human world is difficult, I've been able to pull a few strings to those who can go topside.
[ He couldn't help but circle back to Aziraphale's curious statement, leaning forward. ] Can... all angels produce miracles, or only those of a certain power?
Too bad you can't visit the angel's library--because it's not a bookshop despite what he says. I reckon you'd get lost in there for days, just like he does. You know, I've spent a full week staring at him while he read a book and didn't even notice me. He's lucky I wasn't someone nefarious sent to discorporate him.
[Crowley sipped at his tea thoughtfully.]
Our Hell's a bit technologically behind as well. Not for the same reason. They just don't much get with the times. Too busy trying to increase the profit margin. Half of Hell doesn't even have electricity! Bloody dark ages down there! I never visit that floor!
[Weirdly, Lucifer might notice two things and neither were done entirely on purpose. Angels and demons couldn't influence or tempt each other, but they could still give the emotions a gentle brush to encourage them. It would be an instant change with humans, but with other ethereal and occult beings, it was just a nudge. When he tried not to think about the darker thoughts, he would feel a nudge to keep those unhappy memories from influencing his mood. Quite odd for the demon to deny darker thoughts, but he was so used to keeping his angel afloat that it didn't even occur to him. Likewise, when Lucifer felt that joy that shone so brightly in his eyes, he would feel a gentle nudge from the angel to bolster the mood.]
All angels can preform minor miracles. It's part of being an angel! But some more powerful miracles are... limited. They can be done, but must be sanctioned. We have a scale, you see. Crowley's miracles are quite... inventive. And powerful.
Owh, they're no more powerful than what you can do. [Crowley argued.]
But they are! You can stop time, Crowley! You were able to pull one over on The Devil. That's not a thing I could have done.
I didn't-- I mean-- ngk... I err... well... of course you could. If you put your mind to it.
[ They might catch Lucifer mouthing 'discorporate?' briefly in confusion, but he could at least take a guess what it might mean in context. Were demons and angels out to harm Aziraphale and Crowley respectively often enough that this was a typical concern? Crowley's description of Hell made Lucifer's eyes briefly go wide before his nose wrinkled in disgust. ]
I refuse to let us fall behind the times again. Below the Pride Ring, there's much more use of magic to handle things along side of the technological and frankly, they're better off for it.
[ And- excuse you? Lucifer blinked as he felt the pair of nudges, acting like a living anti-depressant, and looked between them both for a moment as he tried to grasp at what they were doing. Neither of them had looked at him any differently- how had they known his mood so instantly? Why would they do that? ...Was it just... something angels and demons did, here? Aziraphale's would have made sense but wouldn't a demon want to make the mood... worse? Then again Crowley wasn't, so far as he had learned, like the other demons of this world. ...Nor Aziraphale like his fellow angels. ]
I- suppose I'd agree with that, though our miracles are limited to what our respective gifts are. I've never heard of a winner- [ eyeroll! ] a mortal-turned-angel, don't look at me, I didn't pick the name- being able to do any sort of powerful miracle regardless. When I Fell, I didn't lose my Gift- and Heaven doesn't get a say in way I do, not anymore. Not that I'm generally running about doing miracles left and right... hell, the last one might have been Charlie's conception. Hmmm. [ Little proud smile, tilting his gaze to Crowley. ]
Sounds to me like you're quite powerful... appropriate for a fellow Fallen.
[When Lucifer mouthed the word, Aziraphale held up a hand to stop Crowley mid whatever he was saying, and the demon paused almost immediately to let the angel speak,] Discorporate. We need bodies to visit the living world, so we're issued artificial vessels that can give us access. They die as easily as human bodies if not healed immediately and we're sent back to our respective homes. It takes mountains of paperwork and a long wait time before you can be issued another if you're discorporated.
So, you said each of the Sins runs a Ring, but your sinners are confined to the Pride Ring? The... Hellborn, they inhabit the other rings? Do the sinners not get along with them?
[Look, it wasn't entirely conscious, Luci. They liked to keep each other happy and well, you sort of got caught in the crossfire. Not that they didn't want Lucifer to feel happy as well. It may not have been a conscious effort, but they wouldn't want him to fall into despair. So far, they both seemed to enjoy Lucifer's company.
Though the word "winner" does earn him an eyeroll from Crowley as well. He seemed to agree with Lucifer on the name choice, muttering something about pompous angels and stupid names. Both seemed interested in the miracle of Charlie's conception, but Crowley got caught up being flustered again.]
Wh-uh... I'm not... It was nothing, really... [For as boisterous and seemingly proud as Crowley appeared, he was rather quite humble when it came to his powers. He liked to stand out among humans, but when it came to other demons and angels, he didn't like the spotlight. The spotlight came with nit-picking gazes and threats of smiting.]
Nonsense! You're quite powerful, my dear boy. But do tell me, I've been witness to the birth of humans, never the birth of a... Nephilim? Is Charlie considered a nephilim? They're strictly prohibited. For obvious reasons, of course.
[ ...well now! ] So these aren't your actual bodies?? I've never been in a body not my own; even if I change shape or form, it's still all me. [ He takes a moment to think it through, then with a tilt of his head, hesitantly guesses. ] Can you not be seen or interact with humans in your true forms?
[ Oh boy wasn't that an entire mountain of a question. How to sum it all up... ] All sinners are confined to the Pride Ring, but Hellborn can go where they like. It's a mix of problems that led to the system, but it started fairly quickly after we started to get more and more human souls.
[ He held up his right hand. ] On one hand, you have the sinners. When a human dies and appears in Hell, they get a new form and with that, power. Usually, it's a lot of nothing important, but there's still a fairly significant amount of them that have a good deal of power in their new form, and some that have considerable power and they can prove very, very dangerous. In the end, the sinners as a whole might not outnumber the Hellborn, but they're awful people!
[ Holding up the other hand- ] Then you have the Hellborn. While any Hellborn is stronger, faster, more capable than pretty much any human, their range of power is fairly equal to lower strength sinners and more importantly when they die, they die.
[ With a sigh, he closed both hands and sat back in his seat. ] Take awful people with power, and it very quickly came to be that they were killing Hellborn, shoving them out of their space... some even tried to enslave them. Thus, it ended with the sinners all in Pride, the Hellborn elsewhere. Humans are dying in greater and greater numbers every year and so Pride just gets more and more crowded... until the Exterminations.
[ Huh, did humans give birth differently? However, the term meant nothing to Lucifer and so he gave a little shrug of his shoulders. ] I... don't know what a nephilim is?
Uh, well, not as such. I mean, we've been in them for over six thousand years, so might as well be. [Crowley made a face, something between hesitation and a grimace.] We're not... whu.... well... short answer: correct.
Long answer: we can't exactly leave Heaven or Hell without bodies. When we're noncorporeal, we're... well... not corporeal.
Brilliant, Angel. [Crowley mocked, but it was as if every little insult or barb just rolled right off the angel's back. This was something that had been going on for thousands of years.
They both listened quietly as Lucifer explained. Crowley rubbed his chin and tilted his head a bit. Hellborn died for good, sinners didn't, for the most part. Odd, in his opinion. Felt like it should be the opposite, but that wasn't for him to say.]
Nephilim are... well, hybrids. Children of angels and humans. Highly illegal. Dangerous. Angels with free will? Most unusual and most deadly. It takes power to have offspring and not done in the human way of copulation at all. Well, it's not necessary for the act, but couldn't hurt, I suppose...
[Aziraphale is going to not think about angels taking human partners and copulating with them, thank you very much, Crowley!] And these... awful people? Charlie has been able to rehabilitate some of them?
Huh! [ Lucifer made a noise of understanding and surprise, gesturing expressively with a hand. ] I suppose it depends on your definition of Free Will in this case, but so far as I understand, we all had Free Will... it was the humans who didn't. Until me. [ With a quick glance at Crowley - with him as well? ]
But I suppose you could call her that? Lilith was a sinner when we decided to have Charlie- oh! That's right! [ Just realizing he hadn't included that. ] Sinners can't breed, but Hellborn can. But, I had to perform a miracle for us to have her. ...I'd never take it back, not for a second.
[ Out came the cell phone again, opening it and revealing the previously opened picture of himself and Charlie, turning it so Aziraphale could see her. ] Well... we haven't had an actual success yet- [ little did they know ] -but I think some of them are getting closer. ...I couldn't believe what I witnessed, that day of the battle. Sinners working together, defending each other...
[ He hesitated, then let out a small sigh. ] Dying for one another, too. ...if I'd just been able to act sooner... [ The phone was clicked off and put down, with its themed case and a little rubber duck charm falling to the side. ]
[The serpent caught that look and looked promptly away. Shame?] They're better off with free will, despite what Mother thought. Besides, if She didn't want them to eat the fruit, why put the tree in the middle of Her garden? Practically giving it a neon bloody sign saying "hey demon, tempt them to eat this!" You don't hide something forbidden out in the open where just anyone can have a taste! You keep it locked away behind doors. And locks. And more doors. [He's absolutely not pouting!]
Oh goodness me! You raised her? Far more responsible than the devil of our realm! He sent his son to Earth because he couldn't be bothered. Crowley is so good with children too! A natural, I'd say!
Nnn... [Crowley objected haltingly at that statement. He didn't think he was good with kids or a natural whatever that meant, but he did have a soft spot for them.
Aziraphale looked at the picture with a warm smile, leaning in close to the barrier so he could see better.]
She's positively delightful! She has your eyes... Well, and your... everything.
[But Crowley didn't like the sombre note that Lucifer ended on.]
Loss is always hard. Don't let it get you down. You can't live in a world of 'what if's. All you can do is learn and grow.
Can't learn to live in a world of 'what if's indeed. [ From one snake to another, Lucifer repeated the words with a faint raise of his eyebrow and a very meaningful look, given the intensity of Crowley's words about that tree and its fruit.
But like that nagging feeling that would always come on the tail of the memory of that battle, he had to let things go for right now. Instead, he gave a small smile to Aziraphale. ]
Charlie is my everything. [ There was that warm smile again, unable to help how it bubbled up in such a rare chance to get to talk about Charlie like this. However, thinking about the devil Crowley and Aziraphale know drove the smile to turn into a thoughtful frown. ] I'm not sure what could leave to two people of similar concept to be so different from one another, but the devil here sounds like what mortals assume I'm like compared to the reality.
[Crowley studied Lucifer for a moment when he returned the sentiment then sighed and sipped his tea, somewhat contented. Aziraphale beamed at the little understanding the two serpents had. His demon and this Lucifer seemed remarkably similar in many ways!]
Who knows. But it's not our place to question the design. What's important is that you are who you are and maybe the opportunity here is that you've been given some perspective on what it might look like if you were those things? A man who loves his daughter dearly and has a much bigger heart than any might think is far superior to a terrible outcast who neglects his son and wants to see the world burn. If I may be so bold, I dare say you have more in common with Crowley. [He ignored the startled sound from the demon.]
Lucifer disagreed with some of the decisions being made upstairs. He didn't like the humanity project and took it to an extreme. Which caused a chain event. Any of us that had questioned a decision made were cast out due to his extreme views. Like... cutting away all damaged tissue to remove an infection.
Oh, Crowley...
I'm alright, Angel. Just offering some insight. But maybe somehow, some of that story bled over to your reality. Maybe a soothsayer peering into the wrong crystal ball or something. Magic isn't always predictable.
You know, I wonder about that, Aziraphale. ...You say it's not our place to question the design, but is that true? I wasn't Fallen when I gave that fruit to Lilith and Eve in the Garden. I had only gone down to see what was in the Garden because I was told I wasn't allowed to be a part of the new world's creation. [ The corner of his mouth lifted, but the mirth was finite in that half-smile. ]
I don't know what you were previously, Crowley, but my gift is creation. [ Lucifer gave a little bitter laugh. ] The angel of Creation, the lone soul who wasn't allowed to be involved in the creation of the new world and its inhabitants.
[ In the wake of his words, he shrugged. ] Meeting you, hearing our stories are not so different? Now I wonder... if that's exactly what we were supposed to do in His- Her- impossible to understand plan.
[ With a showmanistic gesture of a hand and a beautiful flare of golden magic, the tabletop changed. Before all three of them laid a large meal, each of them with something specific to them. Lucifer's best guess at what they would appreciate. A lovely triple stand in front of Aziraphale with scones and clotted cream on one level, macaroons on another, and finger sandwiches on the last. In front of Crowley, a delicious steak of unknown origin with a small pat of butter, a beautifully loaded baked potato, and vegetables. Last, before himself, an entire stack of pancakes which looked normal to him but might be odd to the others given that they're a strange blue color.
A new pot of tea for the angel - guaranteed a flavor he had never tried before, given its origin, a hand-labeled bottle of scotch for the demon, and bless he needed some coffee if he was going to remain awake for the rest of the day. ]
[Crowley groaned dramatically and threw an arm over his eyes, leaning back in the chair.] You're insufferable.
But I believe everything happens for a reason. Your Fall, Crowley's Fall. They were all part of Her Plan.
And I think it's a load of bollix! If it was pre-planned, why punish us for something She wanted to happen? That free-fall wasn't fun! Burning everything holy from my being, scorching my wings in boiling sulphur? That wasn't--! [He cut himself off when he felt Aziraphale's mounting anxiety. This was clearly a sore spot between them and wasn't something they had resolved. Neither was it something Crowley seemed to have come to terms with.
The showy gesture from Lucifer helped to pull their minds from the old argument as they both watched. Crowley lifted both brows at the elaborate setup, very much appreciating his side of things. With a thought and a snap of his fingers, his own tea cup suddenly remembered that it was actually a scotch glass and how silly of it to think it had been a tea cup! He picked up the bottle of scotch and poured some in his glass.]
Man after my own heart.
Crowley has always been very tight-lipped about his position in Heaven before.
Because it's not important anymore. Lovely spread, by the way, Lulu. Much appreciated. I like the glitter. It's a nice touch. Makes our miracles look boring.
Oh, this is positively delightful! [The angel cooed happily and refilled his cup with the new tea then snatched up one of the sweets. Lucifer had pegged him correctly as well! Major sweet tooth, this one! He sipped the tea and hummed even more delightedly.] I quite like that! Tea from your realm?
[ Oh, well, that seemed to be an unexpected landmine in the conversation. Lucifer's brows lifted up as he glanced back and forth between the two of them, but decided to not push any further. While his Fall had been a nightmare trauma of pain, it was curious that how Crowley described his, he couldn't have said he experienced. However, there was still a mutual connection of 'exceedingly pain and a nightmare'. ]
Scotch is from my own collection. [ A little play of amusement over his lips. Then, to Aziraphale: ] It is. Specifically, from the Sloth Ring. Bel- ah, Belphagor- grows the best tea anywhere in Hell.
[ He gave a pleased shrug and picked up fork and knife and dug into the pancakes, already prepped just how he liked them. ] It seems to me regardless of where you started, where you are on the angel-demon scale, both of you have a new role as Earth's protectors. You're both something unique to either side - and from the sound of it, for the better.
[At the mention of Bel growing tea, Crowley and Aziraphale shared a glance then the demon spoke up.] Is this a hobby of theirs or are you, uh...
[With Crowley's inarticulate attempt, Aziraphale picked up the slack.] You grow your own food. Is eating required where you're from, Lucifer?
Enjoying food and drink is something we picked up in our time on Earth. The others find it disgusting to consume. [Crowley dug into the steak and vegetables quite happily. Chasing it down with a swig of the Scotch. It had unique notes he'd never tasted before, making it even more of a unique experience.
He listened and contemplated that for a moment. Then lifted his glass in a toast.]
[ When Crowley started, Lucifer raised an eyebrow at the uncertain tone, but when Aziraphale explained properly, he lit up with understanding. ] Oh! That entirely depends on who we're talking about. I don't need to eat, but can't imagine anymore not eating ever again. Once the others began creating the Hellborn, they need to eat as do most of the sinners, so it just kind of became natural to eat. Some sinners live off of... less than pleasant food sources, but they come in every imaginable form and even some you can't.
[ He taps his finger on his fork, thinking, before deciding to go with: ] I've seen some that are objects personified. Some resemble creatures. Some are just strange amalgamations of limbs, torso, and head. [ He knew how it must sound, and so he gave a little shrug to his own words. ] They just appear in Hell like that. No one, I don't even think Heaven, knows the rhyme or reason to it. I've heard that their bodies can have something to do with how they lived or died, but I haven't exactly sat down and asked a group of them to confirm if that's true or not.
[ At the suggestion of the toast, how could he have said no? Lucifer picked up his coffee and lifted it in solidarity, gesturing forward before taking a drink. ]
[Both angel and demon drank with Lucifer with the toast.
Somewhere, in another realm, Alastor feels offended.
Honestly, to these two, it doesn't sound all that odd. Well, except the objects personified thing. That was a bit... well, strange. But angel and demon forms--true forms--varied. The humanoid appearance they maintained was a bit of a relaxed view.]
Oh, that's interesting! Many demons here have reptilian and insectoid qualities! Crowley is by far one of the most mild cases, but they're almost branded in a sense... [The angel's voice trailed off when the demon self-consciously put his sunglasses back on to hide his eyes. He continued after a moment, in a much gentler tone,] ...you know I love your eyes, my dear boy.
We can pull the features back, but there will always be something visible to mark us for what we are. Even Dukes of Hell. Beelzebub and their flies, Hastur and his frogs, but I can't say I've ever seen any resembling objects. Then again, we all Fell around the same time, before the dawn of Man so such things hadn't been thought up yet.
How do you keep up with the food demand for so many sinners and the Hellborn there? I'm surprised they have to eat. ...they can't starve, can they? That would... be unpleasant. Die, end up in Hell, only to starve to death. I can't say I've experienced the sensation, but we've both lived through every famine on Earth and seen what it does to humans.
[Was that Crowley showing concern for human souls he didn't even know? Not very demonic of him.]
Huh, that's interesting. I know there are some Hellborn that can completely mask their appearance and walk among humans, most if they're skilled enough in magic but some like the incubi and succubi have it innately. When I change, there's always some part of me that remains distinct.
[ With a look to Crowley, Lucifer gave a charming smile, using some pancake on his fork to emphasize his words with a gesture. ] I agree with Aziraphale. I think the eyes are striking.
[ At the comment about starving, Lucifer winced slightly at the notion but couldn't lie to pretty it up. ] Technically, anything that can kill a human can likely kill a demon even if they're significantly sturdier, so yes they can starve to death. They'll come back from that sort of death, but I can't imagine it's any more pleasant. We have fairly significant farms on all of the Rings, and my magic is still a part of every ring of Hell, making sure they stay thriving.
Hmm. Probably something related to you both being Fallen, I would guess.
As if we need a reminder. [Crowley grumbled. But the compliment to his eyes from both of them had him flustered. Hesitantly, he reached back up and slowly pulled his shades off again. Peer-pressuring angels! He folded them and slipped them away once more.]
No, I imagine it's not... But, you're managing the souls of every corrupt human and all those Hellborn. You can only do so much, angel of creation or not. [He'd seen that wince and he wanted to wipe away any doubt Lucifer might have.] But if you've never been to the surface, you're working without a base code for most of this stuff. Must be difficult to get the flavours right when you first started supplying the rings with the seeds for crops. If there's anything you've ever wanted to taste, just name it.
[ That was a whole line of thought Lucifer wouldn't have been able to even dream of as a possibility, and it left him briefly stunned with parted lips. When he swallowed and found words again, he spoke with a sort of hushed excitement. ]
I... never thought about that. Everything in Hell started with my imagination to create food, and then as sinners began to arrive adjusting and adding more but it's always as they describe it. Only once in a blue moon do I get a chance to actually try something from the human world.
[ With a nod towards Crowley's scotch, for example. Which suggested everything else on the table was mimicking what Lucifer had guessed and figured out about flavors - well, other than Crowley's steak. But for a moment, with Lucifer's next words, there's some glimmer of the angel that had once been. It lights up inside of him with all the innocent excitement of a child. ]
[Crowley really was enjoying everything Lucifer had brought to the table for him. Even stealing one of Aziraphale's sweets with a clever flick of his wrist so it appeared on his plate from the angel's. Said angel just chuckled and did the reverse, stealing a bite of that steak right off the demon's fork. ARE THEY FLIRTING? WHO FUCKING KNOWS. But it seemed habitual as the two took it in stride.
The sheer glee in Lucifer's expression struck a deep cord in Crowley. He knew that feeling intimately. The wonder and excitement! It was bloody infectious! Making the demon smile in turn. Crowley held a hand out in the angel's direction.]
Angel, paper.
[Aziraphale fished a scrap of parchment out of his vest and gave it to the demon. Crowley held it between thumb and crooked forefinger. It was about the size of a notecard. He stood from the table, taking a step back, and unfurled his wings from the ethereal plane. Black, sleek, and perfectly groomed. Off to the side, Aziraphale gasped and covered his mouth with a hand, knowing just what Crowley was about to do and Lucifer had no idea just how much this meant coming from someone like Crowley. Someone who was so terrible vain about his wings. Crowley ran a hand over one of the wings as he brought it close until he found just what would hurt the least and not affect flight. He followed the shaft of the feather all the way to his skin and winced as he plucked the feather from his wing. He dismissed his wings back to the ethereal plane and sat back down.
He held the paper and the feather in the same hand and with a thought, the surface caught fire in a particular wiggly pattern. Then, all at once, the flames were doused as Crowley blew on the paper, leaving a charred sigil burned into it. The feather having seemingly burned away. The card hummed with power. The power of a Miracle with a distinctly Crowley flavoured magic. He held it out to Lucifer.]
I think we'll be here for a century trying things and preforming that many tiny tricks will start to turn some heads. That card is infused with my sigil and infused with a piece of me. The real me, not my corporation. That paper can't be destroyed without holy water. Think of it like a diving tether. It will let me reach you again. Just pulse it with some of your magic and I'll feel it like a pager. I should be able to pull you back here any time you send a pulse through. Well, not here here. More like... ehhh... the Sands of Time. We'll be able to have a bit of a chat, some lunch, I'm sure even the Angel will be willing to bring a book or two for you to enjoy.
[Why yes, Crowley did just give Lucifer a personal calling card to reach him so they could have more of these little meetings.]
But in the mean time, [The angel snapped his fingers and a tasting platter with a bit of apple pie, pumpkin pie, key lime pie, cherry pie, and another half dozen other bite-sized bits appeared in front of Lucifer.] let's start with that.
[ Absolutely nothing that had occurred thus far had stopped Lucifer from believing that these two were a couple. It didn't occur to him to think otherwise, given how they were with each other. Friends were one thing, but these two had a certain intimacy that he had only ever known in couples.
Lucifer tilted his head as Crowley stood up, wondering what was about to happen-
OH.
His eyes go wide in pure delight to see the stunning black wings. Only he had retained the feathery wings of an angel, though Bee and Bel had managed to retain a method of flight in different ways. ]
They're amazing! [ Aziraphale would hear Lucifer's whisper, though when he watched Crowley pluck out a feather, he winced in empathy. His gaze was heavy with curiosity as he witnessed Crowley use some of his own magic - he wouldn't have thought to call it a miracle - and when presented with the card, took it with respect and listened closely as he internally felt out the 'taste' of Crowley's magic now that it was in his hands.
It really did feel like one of his fellow Fallen.
But as Crowley finished his description of what he had so willingly given, Lucifer's eyes went wider than ever. He looked down to the piece of paper in his hand, then back up, struggling to find the words. It was an incredible gift to be given. ]
...thank you, Crowley. [ With an intense gratitude in his eyes. He tucked the card neatly into his inner breast pocket, an idea starting to take root in the back of his mind.
However, Aziraphale had excellent timing to distract him with the brilliant sight of a multitude of pies. Not the only one with a sweet tooth at this table! ]
Ahh...! You need to tell me what everything is! [ Because he was already peering with interest at every little offering, studying them and sniffing a little at the air. Oh it smelled divine! ]
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2024-06-04 05:34 pm (UTC)We're in that awkward time when we have no idea. Will they want war, will they finally just settle for peace, will they listen to Charlie and see that maybe there's another way...? I don't know, but what is your present, I think will end up our future. [ He gave a small shake of his head, looking between the two. ]
But if you two- [ pause. ] Or is it just you, Anth-- Crowley? [ with a look of 'do you prefer that, or is it just your angel?' towards the demon. ] that's stuck on earth? Are you involved in this war if it happens?
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Date: 2024-06-04 05:57 pm (UTC)At the question about his name, Crowley nodded.]
Crowley, please. I--it's my... err... rebranded name. The Anthony was added to fit in with humans. He doesn't much care for it. [Crowley said, jerking his head in Aziraphale's direction. The angel flustered.]
I don't dislike it. It will just take time getting used to.
It's been decades! [Crowley huffed. This was an argument that apparently they had from time to time. One that neither seemed to come to an agreement over.]
It took time to adjust to you changing your name from Craw--
Don't! [Crowley cut him off and the angel puffed out his cheeks like a scolded child. But the serpent returned his attention to Lucifer when it seemed like the angel wasn't going to press the matter further.] We're... well, both stuck here. By choice... in a way. If we go back, after what we did, we'd likely be... ngk...
Erased. [Aziraphale supplied gently and Crowley made a little affirmative sound.] I think we'll be involved if it has anything to do with Earth and humanity. Otherwise, I'd like to think, we'll stay out of it if we can.
[Oh, Crowley knew he would stay out of it, but he wasn't so sure his angel would if Heaven tried calling him back.]
Neither of us have a side anymore. Not officially. We're on Earth's side.
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Date: 2024-06-04 06:48 pm (UTC)Crowley it is, then. I hope, for not only both of your sake but the humans you want to protect, that Earth can avoid being caught in the crossfire. There's some Hellborn that can go to the human world on their own - pretty much exclusively Asmodeus' incubi and succubi with a few here and there - but otherwise we don't involve ourselves with humans until they end up a sinner. Heaven... so far as I know, they do involve themselves in some ways but I doubt they'd bring the fight there.
[ Little did he know that there were humans who wanted to get themselves involved in things. ]
So! If you've stopped an apocalypse, hopefully will keep out of this war... what will you both be doing now? I... admittedly don't know much about the human world, so I'm curious!
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Date: 2024-06-04 08:44 pm (UTC)It was merely temptation, Angel. Nothing happened. I pawned her off on some other bloke. I thought she'd be... harder to tempt. How was I supposed to know her marriage was miserable and she'd do anything to-- Urgh! Not the point!
As I recall, your little temptation caused her to leave an abusive relationship. You saved her and her child from that horrid man. A good deed, I rather think. [Aziraphale looked incredibly proud, like a puffed up bird. Meanwhile Crowley looked like he wanted to hide in his tea cup. The angel addressed Lucifer,] You know, he's the only demon capable of doing positive miracles? A bit of Heavenly influence from time to time. And he didn't burst into flames as he would have you believe. [Smug. Pigeon.]
Oh, shut up. [Crowley grumbled.] So, Heaven is allowed to involve themselves but keeps your lot out if it all? Sounds pretty unbalanced.
Well, I run a book shop! Have done for a very long time now! Mostly we just... live. I read. We have lunch! He... sleeps. Tends to his plants and his car. Generally, we just enjoy humanity and all its splendour! Crowley is far more into the gadgets and knickknacks.
Knickknacks?! You call modern day technology knickknacks?! I also like films! Music! I dance and attend a party from time to time! There's much more to being human--to living with humans than tending plants and sleeping, Angel.
Have you ever read any of their literature, Mister Lucifer? Romance novels? Mystery novels? They're quite imaginative beings! Human creativity never ceases to amaze! And Crowley, well, he's developed quite an imagination as well in all the time around them. I dare say we both have. It's something Heaven and Hell lack.
[Hell had said Crowley had gone native, but so had Aziraphale. They were more human than angel or demon anymore.]
What of you? What do you usually do in Hell?
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Date: 2024-06-04 09:16 pm (UTC)Sorry! As it stands, I enjoy both! While we might be a bit late in getting technology - we usually end up having to wait until someone passes for their knowledge to come below for the most part - we have phones, computers, hellnet... it used to be wildly out of date but once computers really started to kick off, things progressed wildly since then. Of course, Hell has its own entertainment. Television shows, radio, films...
[ Another sip of his tea before he tried not to think about how all too recently, he wouldn't have been able to say a damn thing about what he did all day but now a days? There was a joy that lit up his eyes. ]
I've been helping Charlie with her project in the last few months. To say that the majority of Hell thinks it's a bit of a laughing stock is to be polite about it, but having defended Hell from an Extermination? It's been remarkable how things have started to change for the better. I do have a small library, though getting books from the human world is difficult, I've been able to pull a few strings to those who can go topside.
[ He couldn't help but circle back to Aziraphale's curious statement, leaning forward. ] Can... all angels produce miracles, or only those of a certain power?
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Date: 2024-06-04 09:59 pm (UTC)[Crowley sipped at his tea thoughtfully.]
Our Hell's a bit technologically behind as well. Not for the same reason. They just don't much get with the times. Too busy trying to increase the profit margin. Half of Hell doesn't even have electricity! Bloody dark ages down there! I never visit that floor!
[Weirdly, Lucifer might notice two things and neither were done entirely on purpose. Angels and demons couldn't influence or tempt each other, but they could still give the emotions a gentle brush to encourage them. It would be an instant change with humans, but with other ethereal and occult beings, it was just a nudge. When he tried not to think about the darker thoughts, he would feel a nudge to keep those unhappy memories from influencing his mood. Quite odd for the demon to deny darker thoughts, but he was so used to keeping his angel afloat that it didn't even occur to him. Likewise, when Lucifer felt that joy that shone so brightly in his eyes, he would feel a gentle nudge from the angel to bolster the mood.]
All angels can preform minor miracles. It's part of being an angel! But some more powerful miracles are... limited. They can be done, but must be sanctioned. We have a scale, you see. Crowley's miracles are quite... inventive. And powerful.
Owh, they're no more powerful than what you can do. [Crowley argued.]
But they are! You can stop time, Crowley! You were able to pull one over on The Devil. That's not a thing I could have done.
I didn't-- I mean-- ngk... I err... well... of course you could. If you put your mind to it.
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Date: 2024-06-04 10:24 pm (UTC)I refuse to let us fall behind the times again. Below the Pride Ring, there's much more use of magic to handle things along side of the technological and frankly, they're better off for it.
[ And- excuse you? Lucifer blinked as he felt the pair of nudges, acting like a living anti-depressant, and looked between them both for a moment as he tried to grasp at what they were doing. Neither of them had looked at him any differently- how had they known his mood so instantly? Why would they do that? ...Was it just... something angels and demons did, here? Aziraphale's would have made sense but wouldn't a demon want to make the mood... worse? Then again Crowley wasn't, so far as he had learned, like the other demons of this world. ...Nor Aziraphale like his fellow angels. ]
I- suppose I'd agree with that, though our miracles are limited to what our respective gifts are. I've never heard of a winner- [ eyeroll! ] a mortal-turned-angel, don't look at me, I didn't pick the name- being able to do any sort of powerful miracle regardless. When I Fell, I didn't lose my Gift- and Heaven doesn't get a say in way I do, not anymore. Not that I'm generally running about doing miracles left and right... hell, the last one might have been Charlie's conception. Hmmm. [ Little proud smile, tilting his gaze to Crowley. ]
Sounds to me like you're quite powerful... appropriate for a fellow Fallen.
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Date: 2024-06-04 10:55 pm (UTC)So, you said each of the Sins runs a Ring, but your sinners are confined to the Pride Ring? The... Hellborn, they inhabit the other rings? Do the sinners not get along with them?
[Look, it wasn't entirely conscious, Luci. They liked to keep each other happy and well, you sort of got caught in the crossfire. Not that they didn't want Lucifer to feel happy as well. It may not have been a conscious effort, but they wouldn't want him to fall into despair. So far, they both seemed to enjoy Lucifer's company.
Though the word "winner" does earn him an eyeroll from Crowley as well. He seemed to agree with Lucifer on the name choice, muttering something about pompous angels and stupid names. Both seemed interested in the miracle of Charlie's conception, but Crowley got caught up being flustered again.]
Wh-uh... I'm not... It was nothing, really... [For as boisterous and seemingly proud as Crowley appeared, he was rather quite humble when it came to his powers. He liked to stand out among humans, but when it came to other demons and angels, he didn't like the spotlight. The spotlight came with nit-picking gazes and threats of smiting.]
Nonsense! You're quite powerful, my dear boy. But do tell me, I've been witness to the birth of humans, never the birth of a... Nephilim? Is Charlie considered a nephilim? They're strictly prohibited. For obvious reasons, of course.
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Date: 2024-06-04 11:19 pm (UTC)[ Oh boy wasn't that an entire mountain of a question. How to sum it all up... ] All sinners are confined to the Pride Ring, but Hellborn can go where they like. It's a mix of problems that led to the system, but it started fairly quickly after we started to get more and more human souls.
[ He held up his right hand. ] On one hand, you have the sinners. When a human dies and appears in Hell, they get a new form and with that, power. Usually, it's a lot of nothing important, but there's still a fairly significant amount of them that have a good deal of power in their new form, and some that have considerable power and they can prove very, very dangerous. In the end, the sinners as a whole might not outnumber the Hellborn, but they're awful people!
[ Holding up the other hand- ] Then you have the Hellborn. While any Hellborn is stronger, faster, more capable than pretty much any human, their range of power is fairly equal to lower strength sinners and more importantly when they die, they die.
[ With a sigh, he closed both hands and sat back in his seat. ] Take awful people with power, and it very quickly came to be that they were killing Hellborn, shoving them out of their space... some even tried to enslave them. Thus, it ended with the sinners all in Pride, the Hellborn elsewhere. Humans are dying in greater and greater numbers every year and so Pride just gets more and more crowded... until the Exterminations.
[ Huh, did humans give birth differently? However, the term meant nothing to Lucifer and so he gave a little shrug of his shoulders. ] I... don't know what a nephilim is?
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Date: 2024-06-05 12:48 am (UTC)Long answer: we can't exactly leave Heaven or Hell without bodies. When we're noncorporeal, we're... well... not corporeal.
Brilliant, Angel. [Crowley mocked, but it was as if every little insult or barb just rolled right off the angel's back. This was something that had been going on for thousands of years.
They both listened quietly as Lucifer explained. Crowley rubbed his chin and tilted his head a bit. Hellborn died for good, sinners didn't, for the most part. Odd, in his opinion. Felt like it should be the opposite, but that wasn't for him to say.]
Nephilim are... well, hybrids. Children of angels and humans. Highly illegal. Dangerous. Angels with free will? Most unusual and most deadly. It takes power to have offspring and not done in the human way of copulation at all. Well, it's not necessary for the act, but couldn't hurt, I suppose...
[Aziraphale is going to not think about angels taking human partners and copulating with them, thank you very much, Crowley!] And these... awful people? Charlie has been able to rehabilitate some of them?
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Date: 2024-06-05 12:59 am (UTC)But I suppose you could call her that? Lilith was a sinner when we decided to have Charlie- oh! That's right! [ Just realizing he hadn't included that. ] Sinners can't breed, but Hellborn can. But, I had to perform a miracle for us to have her. ...I'd never take it back, not for a second.
[ Out came the cell phone again, opening it and revealing the previously opened picture of himself and Charlie, turning it so Aziraphale could see her. ] Well... we haven't had an actual success yet- [ little did they know ] -but I think some of them are getting closer. ...I couldn't believe what I witnessed, that day of the battle. Sinners working together, defending each other...
[ He hesitated, then let out a small sigh. ] Dying for one another, too. ...if I'd just been able to act sooner... [ The phone was clicked off and put down, with its themed case and a little rubber duck charm falling to the side. ]
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Date: 2024-06-05 03:17 am (UTC)Oh goodness me! You raised her? Far more responsible than the devil of our realm! He sent his son to Earth because he couldn't be bothered. Crowley is so good with children too! A natural, I'd say!
Nnn... [Crowley objected haltingly at that statement. He didn't think he was good with kids or a natural whatever that meant, but he did have a soft spot for them.
Aziraphale looked at the picture with a warm smile, leaning in close to the barrier so he could see better.]
She's positively delightful! She has your eyes... Well, and your... everything.
[But Crowley didn't like the sombre note that Lucifer ended on.]
Loss is always hard. Don't let it get you down. You can't live in a world of 'what if's. All you can do is learn and grow.
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Date: 2024-06-05 11:12 am (UTC)But like that nagging feeling that would always come on the tail of the memory of that battle, he had to let things go for right now. Instead, he gave a small smile to Aziraphale. ]
Charlie is my everything. [ There was that warm smile again, unable to help how it bubbled up in such a rare chance to get to talk about Charlie like this. However, thinking about the devil Crowley and Aziraphale know drove the smile to turn into a thoughtful frown. ] I'm not sure what could leave to two people of similar concept to be so different from one another, but the devil here sounds like what mortals assume I'm like compared to the reality.
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Date: 2024-06-05 06:33 pm (UTC)Who knows. But it's not our place to question the design. What's important is that you are who you are and maybe the opportunity here is that you've been given some perspective on what it might look like if you were those things? A man who loves his daughter dearly and has a much bigger heart than any might think is far superior to a terrible outcast who neglects his son and wants to see the world burn. If I may be so bold, I dare say you have more in common with Crowley. [He ignored the startled sound from the demon.]
Lucifer disagreed with some of the decisions being made upstairs. He didn't like the humanity project and took it to an extreme. Which caused a chain event. Any of us that had questioned a decision made were cast out due to his extreme views. Like... cutting away all damaged tissue to remove an infection.
Oh, Crowley...
I'm alright, Angel. Just offering some insight. But maybe somehow, some of that story bled over to your reality. Maybe a soothsayer peering into the wrong crystal ball or something. Magic isn't always predictable.
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Date: 2024-06-05 06:58 pm (UTC)I don't know what you were previously, Crowley, but my gift is creation. [ Lucifer gave a little bitter laugh. ] The angel of Creation, the lone soul who wasn't allowed to be involved in the creation of the new world and its inhabitants.
[ In the wake of his words, he shrugged. ] Meeting you, hearing our stories are not so different? Now I wonder... if that's exactly what we were supposed to do in His- Her- impossible to understand plan.
[ With a showmanistic gesture of a hand and a beautiful flare of golden magic, the tabletop changed. Before all three of them laid a large meal, each of them with something specific to them. Lucifer's best guess at what they would appreciate. A lovely triple stand in front of Aziraphale with scones and clotted cream on one level, macaroons on another, and finger sandwiches on the last. In front of Crowley, a delicious steak of unknown origin with a small pat of butter, a beautifully loaded baked potato, and vegetables. Last, before himself, an entire stack of pancakes which looked normal to him but might be odd to the others given that they're a strange blue color.
A new pot of tea for the angel - guaranteed a flavor he had never tried before, given its origin, a hand-labeled bottle of scotch for the demon, and bless he needed some coffee if he was going to remain awake for the rest of the day. ]
Ta da~
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Date: 2024-06-05 07:47 pm (UTC)--Don't say it!
--Ineffable Plan.
[Crowley groaned dramatically and threw an arm over his eyes, leaning back in the chair.] You're insufferable.
But I believe everything happens for a reason. Your Fall, Crowley's Fall. They were all part of Her Plan.
And I think it's a load of bollix! If it was pre-planned, why punish us for something She wanted to happen? That free-fall wasn't fun! Burning everything holy from my being, scorching my wings in boiling sulphur? That wasn't--! [He cut himself off when he felt Aziraphale's mounting anxiety. This was clearly a sore spot between them and wasn't something they had resolved. Neither was it something Crowley seemed to have come to terms with.
The showy gesture from Lucifer helped to pull their minds from the old argument as they both watched. Crowley lifted both brows at the elaborate setup, very much appreciating his side of things. With a thought and a snap of his fingers, his own tea cup suddenly remembered that it was actually a scotch glass and how silly of it to think it had been a tea cup! He picked up the bottle of scotch and poured some in his glass.]
Man after my own heart.
Crowley has always been very tight-lipped about his position in Heaven before.
Because it's not important anymore. Lovely spread, by the way, Lulu. Much appreciated. I like the glitter. It's a nice touch. Makes our miracles look boring.
Oh, this is positively delightful! [The angel cooed happily and refilled his cup with the new tea then snatched up one of the sweets. Lucifer had pegged him correctly as well! Major sweet tooth, this one! He sipped the tea and hummed even more delightedly.] I quite like that! Tea from your realm?
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Date: 2024-06-05 08:19 pm (UTC)Scotch is from my own collection. [ A little play of amusement over his lips. Then, to Aziraphale: ] It is. Specifically, from the Sloth Ring. Bel- ah, Belphagor- grows the best tea anywhere in Hell.
[ He gave a pleased shrug and picked up fork and knife and dug into the pancakes, already prepped just how he liked them. ] It seems to me regardless of where you started, where you are on the angel-demon scale, both of you have a new role as Earth's protectors. You're both something unique to either side - and from the sound of it, for the better.
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Date: 2024-06-05 09:14 pm (UTC)[With Crowley's inarticulate attempt, Aziraphale picked up the slack.] You grow your own food. Is eating required where you're from, Lucifer?
Enjoying food and drink is something we picked up in our time on Earth. The others find it disgusting to consume. [Crowley dug into the steak and vegetables quite happily. Chasing it down with a swig of the Scotch. It had unique notes he'd never tasted before, making it even more of a unique experience.
He listened and contemplated that for a moment. Then lifted his glass in a toast.]
Here's to all three of us being something unique.
Here, here! [Aziraphale lifted his tea cup.]
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Date: 2024-06-05 10:34 pm (UTC)[ He taps his finger on his fork, thinking, before deciding to go with: ] I've seen some that are objects personified. Some resemble creatures. Some are just strange amalgamations of limbs, torso, and head. [ He knew how it must sound, and so he gave a little shrug to his own words. ] They just appear in Hell like that. No one, I don't even think Heaven, knows the rhyme or reason to it. I've heard that their bodies can have something to do with how they lived or died, but I haven't exactly sat down and asked a group of them to confirm if that's true or not.
[ At the suggestion of the toast, how could he have said no? Lucifer picked up his coffee and lifted it in solidarity, gesturing forward before taking a drink. ]
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Date: 2024-06-06 08:13 am (UTC)Somewhere, in another realm, Alastor feels offended.
Honestly, to these two, it doesn't sound all that odd. Well, except the objects personified thing. That was a bit... well, strange. But angel and demon forms--true forms--varied. The humanoid appearance they maintained was a bit of a relaxed view.]
Oh, that's interesting! Many demons here have reptilian and insectoid qualities! Crowley is by far one of the most mild cases, but they're almost branded in a sense... [The angel's voice trailed off when the demon self-consciously put his sunglasses back on to hide his eyes. He continued after a moment, in a much gentler tone,] ...you know I love your eyes, my dear boy.
We can pull the features back, but there will always be something visible to mark us for what we are. Even Dukes of Hell. Beelzebub and their flies, Hastur and his frogs, but I can't say I've ever seen any resembling objects. Then again, we all Fell around the same time, before the dawn of Man so such things hadn't been thought up yet.
How do you keep up with the food demand for so many sinners and the Hellborn there? I'm surprised they have to eat. ...they can't starve, can they? That would... be unpleasant. Die, end up in Hell, only to starve to death. I can't say I've experienced the sensation, but we've both lived through every famine on Earth and seen what it does to humans.
[Was that Crowley showing concern for human souls he didn't even know? Not very demonic of him.]
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Date: 2024-06-06 01:34 pm (UTC)[ With a look to Crowley, Lucifer gave a charming smile, using some pancake on his fork to emphasize his words with a gesture. ] I agree with Aziraphale. I think the eyes are striking.
[ At the comment about starving, Lucifer winced slightly at the notion but couldn't lie to pretty it up. ] Technically, anything that can kill a human can likely kill a demon even if they're significantly sturdier, so yes they can starve to death. They'll come back from that sort of death, but I can't imagine it's any more pleasant. We have fairly significant farms on all of the Rings, and my magic is still a part of every ring of Hell, making sure they stay thriving.
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Date: 2024-06-06 03:36 pm (UTC)As if we need a reminder. [Crowley grumbled. But the compliment to his eyes from both of them had him flustered. Hesitantly, he reached back up and slowly pulled his shades off again. Peer-pressuring angels! He folded them and slipped them away once more.]
No, I imagine it's not... But, you're managing the souls of every corrupt human and all those Hellborn. You can only do so much, angel of creation or not. [He'd seen that wince and he wanted to wipe away any doubt Lucifer might have.] But if you've never been to the surface, you're working without a base code for most of this stuff. Must be difficult to get the flavours right when you first started supplying the rings with the seeds for crops. If there's anything you've ever wanted to taste, just name it.
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Date: 2024-06-06 04:10 pm (UTC)I... never thought about that. Everything in Hell started with my imagination to create food, and then as sinners began to arrive adjusting and adding more but it's always as they describe it. Only once in a blue moon do I get a chance to actually try something from the human world.
[ With a nod towards Crowley's scotch, for example. Which suggested everything else on the table was mimicking what Lucifer had guessed and figured out about flavors - well, other than Crowley's steak. But for a moment, with Lucifer's next words, there's some glimmer of the angel that had once been. It lights up inside of him with all the innocent excitement of a child. ]
I'd want to try everything!
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Date: 2024-06-06 10:19 pm (UTC)The sheer glee in Lucifer's expression struck a deep cord in Crowley. He knew that feeling intimately. The wonder and excitement! It was bloody infectious! Making the demon smile in turn. Crowley held a hand out in the angel's direction.]
Angel, paper.
[Aziraphale fished a scrap of parchment out of his vest and gave it to the demon. Crowley held it between thumb and crooked forefinger. It was about the size of a notecard. He stood from the table, taking a step back, and unfurled his wings from the ethereal plane. Black, sleek, and perfectly groomed. Off to the side, Aziraphale gasped and covered his mouth with a hand, knowing just what Crowley was about to do and Lucifer had no idea just how much this meant coming from someone like Crowley. Someone who was so terrible vain about his wings. Crowley ran a hand over one of the wings as he brought it close until he found just what would hurt the least and not affect flight. He followed the shaft of the feather all the way to his skin and winced as he plucked the feather from his wing. He dismissed his wings back to the ethereal plane and sat back down.
He held the paper and the feather in the same hand and with a thought, the surface caught fire in a particular wiggly pattern. Then, all at once, the flames were doused as Crowley blew on the paper, leaving a charred sigil burned into it. The feather having seemingly burned away. The card hummed with power. The power of a Miracle with a distinctly Crowley flavoured magic. He held it out to Lucifer.]
I think we'll be here for a century trying things and preforming that many tiny tricks will start to turn some heads. That card is infused with my sigil and infused with a piece of me. The real me, not my corporation. That paper can't be destroyed without holy water. Think of it like a diving tether. It will let me reach you again. Just pulse it with some of your magic and I'll feel it like a pager. I should be able to pull you back here any time you send a pulse through. Well, not here here. More like... ehhh... the Sands of Time. We'll be able to have a bit of a chat, some lunch, I'm sure even the Angel will be willing to bring a book or two for you to enjoy.
[Why yes, Crowley did just give Lucifer a personal calling card to reach him so they could have more of these little meetings.]
But in the mean time, [The angel snapped his fingers and a tasting platter with a bit of apple pie, pumpkin pie, key lime pie, cherry pie, and another half dozen other bite-sized bits appeared in front of Lucifer.] let's start with that.
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Date: 2024-06-06 10:54 pm (UTC)Lucifer tilted his head as Crowley stood up, wondering what was about to happen-
OH.
His eyes go wide in pure delight to see the stunning black wings. Only he had retained the feathery wings of an angel, though Bee and Bel had managed to retain a method of flight in different ways. ]
They're amazing! [ Aziraphale would hear Lucifer's whisper, though when he watched Crowley pluck out a feather, he winced in empathy. His gaze was heavy with curiosity as he witnessed Crowley use some of his own magic - he wouldn't have thought to call it a miracle - and when presented with the card, took it with respect and listened closely as he internally felt out the 'taste' of Crowley's magic now that it was in his hands.
It really did feel like one of his fellow Fallen.
But as Crowley finished his description of what he had so willingly given, Lucifer's eyes went wider than ever. He looked down to the piece of paper in his hand, then back up, struggling to find the words. It was an incredible gift to be given. ]
...thank you, Crowley. [ With an intense gratitude in his eyes. He tucked the card neatly into his inner breast pocket, an idea starting to take root in the back of his mind.
However, Aziraphale had excellent timing to distract him with the brilliant sight of a multitude of pies. Not the only one with a sweet tooth at this table! ]
Ahh...! You need to tell me what everything is! [ Because he was already peering with interest at every little offering, studying them and sniffing a little at the air. Oh it smelled divine! ]
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