(no subject)

[lordofthesouth.livejournal.com]

Date: November 5, 1999
Setting: Tadfield Manor, Dining Hall
Status: Private - Belial, Aziraphale (Complete)
Summary: Belial is de-moped.



Belial gazed into a pit of strawberry swirls, littered with the remains of frozen shortcake chunks. The spoon sat in the half-empty vat, crumbs clinging, looking so much like a ladder into desperation.

He had to stop this--he was starting to draw extensive metaphors of Hell using a half gallon of strawberry shortcake ice cream, and the rim of his mouth was a sticky, pink mess. At least his hair was clean, he thought, plucking absently at a few damp, straying locks. He had too much time to bother with such things, which led to him not bothering with them at all. A snap of his fingers and he could fix himself. But it was too easy a solution and he didn't want things to be easy.

Sighing, he kicked one leg back and hooked it over one of the bars supporting the stool, tethering himself to his seat. Bloody angels, bloody Gabriel.

He'd Damn love, but had already found a hold in Hell through him.

Comments

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I hate all this business about black and white too. It would be so much more sensible if we had shades of grey, although the Bureaucracies may be a little annoyed about it. More paperwork, you know." The angel nodded sympathetically.

And then he heard the whisper, and Aziraphale dropped his spoon.

"What?!" he said, and overbalanced, catching the edge of the table surface. He miracled the mess with the spoon clean when he had calmed down, a little, and quickly miracled another spoon. This was... a very interesting new development. Aziraphale quickly revised his opinion of Gabriel.

"Does- does Gabriel know? Does he love you in return?!" he whispered loudly. "What does Below say? What will Above say? Oh dear, oh dear. He's an archangel, the Messenger of God. Oh, dear." The angel put his plump hand over his mouth, and proceeded to stop breathing. It calmed him down immediately.

"I suppose I could have guessed... Not- not for that reason, you understand, but I had wondered where you'd got to with Gabriel, after the party."

"No explanation of, ah, where you went, or what happened, please," the angel added quickly as Belial opened his mouth to say something. "Just tell me this, for Gabriel has been kind and a good friend: Will you treat him well? You won't hurt him, will you?"

[lordofthesouth.livejournal.com]

Expression tormented, he looked Aziraphale squarely in the eye.

"I do not know the truth of his feelings. Only that there was desire etched in the lines of his body. I would know, being what I am," he said softly. "Nor do I care what Above or Below would think of me. I've been Lucifer's playtoy and the stuff of nightmares. The Presence has left me, though I feel it was unjustly, and it has no home in my heart, nor a claim to my soul."

He made a soothing, humming noise in Aziraphale's direction, laying a hand warily on the angel's arm. "Aziraphale, I love him," he said, twisting the weight of every emotion he had ever felt for Gabriel into that one word, offering it up to Aziraphale as a promise. Hurting Gabriel was the furthest thing from his heart.

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

"Well, then," Aziraphale said, satisfied, "That's it, isn't it?"

He smiled, suddenly happy, covered Belial's hand with his own, and patted it. His British-ness refused to allow him more.

The angel who had been close with his demon for millenia but only lately realized love shared a knowing glance with the demon in love for millenia but not close at all to his angel, and then they both turned to look back at the (beginning to melt) ice cream.

"Did you want any tea?" Aziraphale said finally, sitting up and stretching. "I had come down for some, and..." He flapped a hand gaily and miracled a steaming teapot and two china teacups and saucers. "Would you like any? I've got chocolates as well."

[lordofthesouth.livejournal.com]

A weight sloughed from Belial's shoulders and he felt, for the first time since the Fall, relaxed.

"I'd love some," he purred, delighted.

And grinned, mischief glimmering in his dark eyes. "Aziraphale, I didn't know you were so indulgent to the Seven Sins. Chocolates with tea? After ice cream? How dreadfully unhealthy," he teased.

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

"I'm an angel; I don't have to eat healthy." Aziraphale smiled and poured them each a cup of tea. "Besides, the situation hardly calls for alcohol, and chocolate appears a better balm to the lovesick heart than anything else, I'd imagine. And tea was, after all, my original plan."

[lordofthesouth.livejournal.com]

Belial made a soft noise of digression in the back of his throat.

He sipped his tea, brow knitted.

"I was unaware that sensibility was a trait that could be acquired before Falling," he said, a bit meanly. "But then, I don't know many demons with sense, either, so I suppose that's not true."

Tapping a finger on his cheek, he considered. "Lovesick, hmm?"

He stood and gave the angel a quick, bowing kiss upon the hand in thanks. "You've done more for me than you presently know, old soul," Belial murmured, and made himself vanish from the dining hall, humming an ancient lullaby as he went. Tea forgotten and still steaming.