(no subject)

[diaktoros.livejournal.com]

Date: May 1, 2000
Setting: The Manor grounds
Status: Public
Summary: The new year dawns for the pagan calendar, and you know what that means...


Hermes had been gathering wood all day, depositing it in a large pile in a very clear spot on the rolling lawns. He'd gotten up very early, and had spent most of the morning making little flyers. They were on plain white paper, decorated with a box of crayola markers that he'd produced*; still, Hermes was rather a good hand at doodling (he inherited some art in his blood from Apollo), and soon flyers were posted in the most commonly frequented places of the manor. The godling made it all the more mysterious and fun by simply disappearing the flyers off to their appointed place as he finished them. So he didn't even have to leave his room.

There will be a bonfire starting
at dusk to celebrate the new year.
Please come! There will be music
and other fun things!

All the rest of the day, Hermes was outside, running around with Dog and whatever other creatures were outside, and frolicking about the grounds, laughing and generally having what grown-ups would call 'way too much fun'.

As the sun was setting, he lay on the grass to watch it, hands behind his head. Sunsets always reminded him of his brother, and thus made him a bit serious.

"Someday we'll celebrate the new year in Hawai'i," he said, speaking to Apollo, Eros and Dionysus in the manner that mortals spoke to dead or far-away loved ones. "We'll have a big luau with drums and dancing and lots of fun...someday, I promise."

______________________________
*Unlike most people who could just make things appear from thin air, Hermes literally teleported them from somewhere else. He was the god of thieves, after all.

Comments

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Directing a narrow, appraising glance at Hermes, Crowley dragged his eyes back to Aziraphale.

"Just suprised to see you here," he said calmly. Shirtless, wings out, halo on, and being tightly embraced by another man, was the unspoken addendum. "I didn't know that you and Hermes were... friends."

[diaktoros.livejournal.com]

Hermes scowled at Crowley's tone.

"If you're that insecure, maybe you should get some therapy," he snapped, before Ellie managed to pull him away. His pretty, harmless form had changed to something more akin to the legendary temper, and the look he flashed Crowley was severely warning.

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale gave Ellie his most grateful look as she took Hermes by the arm, leading him away with little fuss.

"Well, my dear, we are friends. Have I missed something or am I not allowed to have friends? If I recall correctly aren't you friends with Ellie? John? Half a dozen others?" Humiliation made him angry and offbeat; guilty when he wasn't certain he should be guilty. His wings flexed behind him, mostly from the stiffness of being reeled in so tightly for too long. It startled Aziraphale momentarily because he'd quite forgotten they were out, and he quite lost the thread of argument for a moment. But only a moment.

"Was it my attire? We're both shirtless," and his blue eyes, visible in the light of the bonfire, flicked down for the barest half-second. His gaze flicked back up to Crowley's cold face and grew angry (and defensive) again. "What, precisely, is the matter with you?"

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Ignoring the comment the god had tossed his way, Crowley watched the angel's wings bend and stretch. They always were the truest indicators of his feelings and Aziraphale probably never realized how much he gave away with them. He raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"What, precisely, is the matter with me? Hey, all I said was your name and that I didn't know you were friends with Gainsborough over there. Am I not allowed some curiosity when I see you being groped by a naked kid? Especially since you're suddenly showing more skin in public than you have for centuries? Why are you being so damn defensive?"

Crowley was hurt by Aziraphale's icy tone. Was the angel trying to accuse him of something so that he'd overlook his actions? The demon refused to feel guilty, however. He'd done nothing more than dance and speak politely to his lover. He thought he was being quite calm, all things considered, but now he was starting to wonder just what Aziraphale was trying to hide.

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

The feathers twitched, uncomfortable and undeniably nervous. None of this showed on Aziraphale's face.

"Do you want to know what happened? I fell out of a tree and he happened to catch me. He asked to see my wings, and I thought that perhaps since the atmosphere was so relaxed it would hardly matter. I took off my shirt so it wouldn't be ripped. When he cried - could you not see the teartracks? - I only tried to comfort him. Why, Crowley, are you jealous?"

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

In response, Crowley seized Aziraphale and kissed him long, hard, and possessively, hoping that the cerulean pipsqueak was watching. When they broke off several minutes later, flushed and disheveled, he murmured into his ear.

"He wantsss you, angel. Why shouldn't I be jealous?"

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

"Oh, he does not," Aziraphale muttered, cheeks just as flushed as Crowley's, but less irritated than he was. The hot flame of humiliation and anger was starting to be diverted into sort of a different flame, but the angel ignored it all the same.

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Crowley raised a challenging eyebrow. "You think I can't recognize lust?"

The demon brought his hand up to cup Aziraphale's jaw and ran his thumb along his warm cheekbone. The other hand caressed an area considerably further south on the angel's person. "If you're not sure what it looks like, perhaps I should give you a demonstration..."

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

"If you insist on a demonstration, dear, wouldn't you prefer something a little more private? Someone could be looking!" he whispered frantically, even as the angel relaxed, minutially. His wings moved restlessly, startled by the change in temper, and unsure.

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

"That is part of the point, angel," said Crowley with a hungry look. "But I'd be more than happy to take this elsewhere. You know, we've never been on the Manor roof..."

He was well aware of how quickly anger, jealousy, and possessiveness could turn to desire when the object of said desire returns the interest. Or in other words, with Aziraphale paying attention to him instead of to Hermes, he felt no need for jealousy any longer, but he still had some angry energy built up that he very much wanted to take out with agressive sex.

[ineffable-angel.livejournal.com]

"Fine," Aziraphale said, grudgingly - or at least he tried to be. Grudging didn't work so well when you've just been snogged so very expertly, after all. He didn't dare tell Crowley that - his ego didn't need the stroking.

"But I'm still angry with you," he added, suddenly, and without a pause the angel tore off into the night, wings spread white like the luminescent moon, racing ahead in what he knew was a petty advantage.

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Crowley smirked, extended his wings, and followed, but not too quickly. He'd let Aziraphale win this battle if it meant he'd win the war.