Him and I {crowley}

Chapter 6

Harper's POV

CROWLEY AND I DROVE THROUGH LONDON and eventually he pulled up outside a dive bar. 

"Hey," I stopped him, "I said I was hungry not in need of a drink." I said in somewhat exaggerated annoyance. It was also kind of a lie because I did also want a drink. 

"Oh don't worry, we'll only be here for a little bit." He smirked, leading me into the bar. 

It was a classic sort of old-timey bar with the hundreds of alcoholic options all on shelves behind the counter. Crowley ordered us our first drinks and we found a small booth to sit in away from the busiest part of the bar. 

"So, where are you working?" He asked, casually, so I explained to him about my writing job and how I was happy with it but I also knew that it wasn't really what I wanted. 

Crowley genuinely looked impressed but I could also tell that he understood my disappointment. 

"How about you? Is there some kind of demon office?" I asked sarcastically, taking a sip out of the glass. 

Crowley laughed. "Actually that is exactly right. I have to report there and tell them all the bad things I've done."

"Ooh and have you done a lot of bad things?" I smirked, finishing my first drink.

"What do you think, Harper?" 

The way he said my name set off something inside me. My name didn't sound the same when he said it, it sounded like an oath or a spell not just a plain old name. 

As I was thinking, Crowley got up and headed back to the bar and returned with more drinks. 

——

"Can demons even get drunk?" I asked, after we had been sitting and drinking and chatting for about three hours. By this time we were both feeling the affects. 

The bar has gotten even busier since we arrived and although Crowley and I had our booth we still had to raise our voices in order to hear eachother. 

"Well yes and no. If we want to we can feel the affects of alcohol, but we can sober up as soon as we choose to." 

"Lucky." I grumbled with a small hiccup. I looked up at the demon and decided to ask another question. 

"Why do you and Aziraphale spend so much time out of Heaven and Hell? You basically spend all your time together, is that what all angels and demons do?" 

"No, Aziraphale and I have been friends for a very long time," he answered, looking me, "We both agree that the whole thing is just stupid. Heaven and Hell are so stuck up that they won't even try to stop Armageddon. They don't even care if Earth is destroyed and we have to go someplace else. It really frustrates me."

Even though Crowley wasn't trying to make a big deal out of it, I could see that the whole topic really annoyed him. Every time we talked about Heaven and Hell he got really irritated.

Without really thinking about it, I slowly reached my hand towards his and placed it on top. Maybe it was whatever was in my system that made me do it, but it felt sort of right I guess. For a single second I relaxed a bit, it calmed me for some reason I can't explain.

But then I looked up at Crowley.

His raised his eyebrows at my sudden move and he had an unreadable expression on his face which made me immediately regret it, even though it felt so right.

I quickly took my hand back and drank another swig of my drink, completely ignoring whatever I had just done.

"Sorry." I muttered quickly. 

Crowley didn't reply, he just sat there staring at me from behind his glasses. His lips were slightly parted, like he was shocked, but he didn't say or do anything to give me a clue for what he was thinking. The mask that his face was was beginning to really get to me. It was like trying to solve a crossword but realising there's no right answer. 

I brought my thoughts back to now and continued talking. Within a few minutes it was like we had completely forgotten what had happened, just two friends talking about their lives in a bar in Soho.

Later

After around four hours of taking, Crowley and I thought that it was probably best to call it a day. We walked over to the Bentley; Crowley was just about to get in when I stopped him. 

"Not so fast. You are aware of the fact that you can't drink and drive Crowley." I said in mock disappointment, tutting disapprovingly. 

"Oh well I'm sorry Harper, I also wasn't aware that demons apparently have to follow rules now, according to you."  He said, stepping closer and pointing towards me. 

"I'm serious Crowley. I don't wanna die-"

"- I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all." The demon sang causing me to laugh loudly.

After a few minutes I convinced Crowley to walk back, our appartements being in the same direction. We sauntered through the lit up streets, Crowley making jokes doing impressions and me giggling uncontrollably. It was a cold night but neither of us really felt it, the alcohol sill buzzing inside us.

We reached Crowley's flat after a while and I reluctantly said goodbye. But just as I was turning to walk away, Crowley grabbed my arm. 

"How could I let you walk home alone?" He said simply, trying to join me along the street, instead of  going inside his appartement. 

"Oh it's fine, it's only about five minutes away." I reassured him. 

"No Harper." He persisted "If you won't let me walk you there, at least sober up a bit before you go home, I don't want you getting yourself into a stilly accident." The demon said, looking into my eyes.

I gave in a followed him up to his appartement. It probably was a good idea to sober up before going home alone. 

We walked up the concrete stairs and reached his house: number 666. I laughed to myself. We opened the door and I was pleasantly surprised. The house unique and modern. It was concrete and had various ornaments around. There were also many red items which contrasted with the amount of black. It fitted the very style well. It wasn't the sort of house I was expecting but in a way it kind of was. The colours seemed to match Crowley, three was something about the place that was just so similar to him.

"Wow, is this your home. It's so.....modern." I said in awe.

Crowley saw me staring at all the different ornaments. "Like it?" He laughed.

"Yeah. It's way better than my place." 

"Well, there's noting a few miracles can't do."

I laughed, but then realised that I only came in here for a quick rest, that I couldn't, I shouldn't stay for long.

Crowley came back with a glass of cold water and some food. He lead me to the sofa and said that I could sit there for as long as I wanted to before I headed home. 

I thanked him, being careful to avoid the word 'nice', even though it was what I wanted to say. 

"It's no problem Harper, it's what friends do." 

I smiled and he slowly walked towards me, taking is glasses off and placing them on a table. I could now see his beautiful golden eyes, they made me tiredly smile. He was now standing close to me, hovering above where I sat on the sofa, looking as if he were unsure of what to do next. I too was unsure of what I wanted him to do. One part of me wanted to fall asleep, but the other part wanted to stay up with him all night and do whatever he wanted. 

But Crowley seemed to have made up his mind because he just smiled and said, "Goodnight Harper, I'm going now, you can go home or sleep on the sofa, I don't mind." And with that he was gone. 

I decided that I was now too sleepy to make my way home, so I lay down on his sofa, glad to have spent such a good night with a friend.