Ineffably Oblivious ( Ineffable Husbands One-Shots )

Temptation Accomplished

Word Count: 1980
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Summary
Crowley's clever, but not always aware.
Aziraphale's clever, but sometimes aware.
Specifically when it comes to Crowley attempting to tempt him.

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Aziraphale had seen the demon do it many a times. It was in his nature, after all, and as much as Crowley tempted people, Aziraphale guided them.
It was how both of them had been brought up to do so- well, more so that they were made to do so. This was their purpose in life...

Other than the fact that it no longer was.

After the apocalypse-that-didn't, the demon and angel naturally found themselves gravitating towards each other.
Often, it was simply a given that Crowley was in the bookshop and Aziraphale with him in Saint James Park.

They seemed to have their own schedule that worked with the other's. They'd grown accustomed to each other's presence and therefor each other's antics.

For example,
Aziraphale was aware that Crowley didn't enjoy eating.
He hardly ever did when they were together and that was nearly all the time.
Crowley, in turn, knew Aziraphale hardly ever didn't eat. He couldn't blame the angel, food could be fun and satisfying, but alcohol was more his speed.

Aziraphale knew Crowley was much more cuddly than he let on. He often found the demon curled up, asleep, on the sofa with pillows hugged to his chest and between his legs and pressed him to his face.
It'd gotten to the point where Aziraphale had simply placed a body pillow there that the serpent naturally clung to.
Crowley noticed too that Aziraphale enjoyed physical touch, simple however such as a brush of hands that made the Angel flinch his hand closer to Crowley's— and how he wished he could hold that hand, the perfect size for his own.

For how much time they spent around each other, and how often they were correctly able to guess what the other felt, they were both incompetent.
Specifically, to that of the fact that they loved each other.
More so than any other celestial beings had ever loved another thing.

Aziraphale could sense when something was loved, or when something was feeling love, but Crowley was a mystery to him.

The thing that was troublesome was that his aura was hidden...it was common for powerful angels and demons but- Aziraphale had just never thought Crowley more powerful than the next demon...he supposed he was quite wrong, however, when Crowley had been able to stop time.
The demon was very sensitive about subjects that involved any manor of his past so Aziraphale had merely learned to drop it.
It did madden him so that he couldn't tell what the demon was feeling...but part of him was glad, it would make rejection a thought far in the future—
Or, so he thought...

As previously mentioned...Aziraphale knew Crowley like the back of his wing, just as well as Crowley knew Aziraphale in return.

He'd watched Crowley tempt several hundred people over the ages, from angsty teens to outraged royals...he'd done a bit of tempting himself but not the way Crowley did.

To tempt one, one must need to possess the ability to. Specifically, with their eyes and body language.

Not as a human would tempt another human, perhaps through sexual intent. No, this was close to the same way miracles worked...Crowley would stare intensively at that of who he was attempting to tempt, keeping eye-contact for nearly the entire time...it was charming but was also cursed. He would then continue with contact of one of his hands to that of who he wished to tempt.
This worked in the same way a usual snap of fingers would for a miracle.
Once the individual is keeping eye-contact, and physical contact is achieved, the demon can tempt the other in any way he please, through a quick, mere whisper.