Chapter Text
This had to be the longest afternoon Crowley had ever had in his life, which is about six thousands years long. This made the whole occasion much more insufferable.
They were in a small restaurant. A vegan restaurant, actually. It’s one of Aziraphale’s recent crazy idea. The restaurant were fine. Nice decorations, beautiful views, smiling waitresses, and surprisingly good food. However, what was really making Crowley nod off from time to time, is the conversations between Aziraphale and Anathema on the preservation of environment and so on.
Somehow, when the Armageddon was stopped, Aziraphale overheard what Anathema said to Adam, things about saving whales and rainforests. Although Adam decided not to interfere, Aziraphale had find the ideology inspiring and had ever since kept in touch with Anathema. These information Crowley gathered from their table talk.They are discussing enthusiastically, while Crowley and Newt nodded off by their sides.
“......another modern problem would be technology.” said Anathema,” Nowadays people are obsessed with their smartphones. They are addicted to it, and they don’t interact with each others as often as before, even parents with their kids. I heard about a demonstration organized by school-kids, protesting that they want their parents stop using phones and actually talk with them.”
Well. Smartphones. Crowley thought. It’s a pity he didn’t came up with the idea first, at least he invented selfie.
“I think the waste cause by the smartphones also led to pollution in the third world countries?” Aziraphale poured himself another cup of tea.
“One of my friend had been following the news. He also writes for magazine. If you are interested, I could give you some copies.”
“That would be great, thank you.”
Crowley woke up before his forehead hit the table. The conversation had turned to the whales again. Sitting across to him was Newt. The plain-looking young man were reclining against the window, sleeping with his mouth watering. His girlfriend seemed to be paying him no mind. Crowley muttered an excuse and went outside before nodding off again.
He walked into the cold air of December. It’s nearly Christmas. The restaurant’s exterior was decorated with ivy, mistletoes, and wreath with jingle-bells. Crowley shuddered and lit a cigarette. The doorbell rang again, then he saw Newt followed him out with hair ruffled, glasses askew.
“You smoke?” Crowley handed him a cigarette.
Newt took it. He smoked and coughed violently.
Crowley looked with amusement.
Newt was embarrassed. “I don’t usually smoke, but I want to go out, and smoking is not allowed indoors.”
They stood there for a while. It was becoming colder. Their feet were getting numb, and they were nodding off again. Crowley tried to make some small talk.
“Very interesting girlfriend you got.” Crowley gestured at Anathema.
“Oh yes, she is.” Newt nodded politely. ”You, too.”
“What?”
“Eh, sorry, I didn’t mean…...” Newt choked on the smoke.”I just thought…...”
The clouds of sleepiness were wiped clean by the shock, and it was replaced by a silence of confusion and embarrassment.
“So, what do you do?” asked Newt.
Crowley pondered on the answer. As far as he know, the boy Adam had done something funny to the memories.
“How much do you remember about the Tadfield Airbase?”
“Well, it’s a blur now, but I remember…...”
“Hold on a second. What were you doing at the Airbase?” Crowley was suddenly interested. Adam was there because he’s Antichrist, Anathema, the Book, but what was a normal human being doing there during the Armageddon?
“Well, you see.” Newt blushed a little. ”Anathema took me there, and there were four terrorists hacking into the airbase communication system and want to start the world war three. I think I kind of…... stopped it.”
“How? Are you a hacker?”
“Oh no, the opposite of that.” Newt waved his hands in panic ”Basically, everything I touched break.”
“You broke the communication system of the world?” Crowley was amazed. ”That is one amazing skill. Are you a wizard? Or a supernatural entity?”
“Huh?”
The doorbell rang again. Aziraphale and Anathema appeared.
“I see that you had had enough.” Anathema kissed Newt on the cheek and round a scarf around his neck. ”You forgot this.”
“It’s not boring. I always love to come out with you.”
“Nonsense. I could hear you snoring.”
“Yeah, but I still love it.”
Aziraphale nodded to them, smiling. “It’s very interesting talking with you, and I really like this restaurant……”
“Yeah, hope to catch up soon.” Crowley cut in. “I am freezing to death here. Did you get my hat, angel?”