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March 21st 2418 BC (Julian calendar), Akhmim (Egypt)
It was so hot, the air was simmering. The sun was burning down on them and not even the tiniest bit of breeze. The people around Aziraphale used their hands to fan themselves some air. Even though he didn’t have to do it, Aziraphale copied their movements to fit in better.
Another thing they all did together was watching King Neferefre. He was walking next to a white bull followed by a ceremonial procession including priests and dancers.
‘Isn’t it blasphemous for you to be here, angel?’, Crawly, next to Aziraphale, asked.
‘I don’t think, She minds. I have been sent here by Heaven, after all’, Aziraphale answered.
‘Yeah, but maybe they expected you to refrain from their worshipping of other gods?’, Crawly said.
‘I have received no such orders’, Aziraphale informed him, ‘I would not be able to partake in many of their activities if I had, would I? Certainly none of their festivals.’
‘They do celebrate many festivals for their gods, don’t they?’, Crawly said, using his hand to shield his eyes from the sun.
He wasn’t wearing anything to hide his eyes, Aziraphale realised. Probably because of the low risk of someone actually noticing their not-so-human-likeness. The people were far too busy celebrating and participating in the procession. And if someone were to really look into Crawly’s eyes, they would think, they just imagined something due to the heat or the sun reflected weirdly.
Crawly furrowed his brows. ‘What are the king’s servants carrying?’, he asked.
‘Hm?’, Aziraphale said, turning his attention away from Crawly’s eyes to look in the king’s direction instead.
‘The stick with the palm leaves’, Crawly said, pointing with his finger to two servants behind the king.
Aziraphale moved a bit sideways, closer to Crawly, to peak between the people in front of him. The servants Crawly was pointing at each were carrying one long handle with a fan of palm leaves fasted on their higher end.
‘Ah, these are flabella’, Aziraphale explained, ‘they use them to shield the king from the sun.’
‘Ngk - we could all use one of these today’, Crawly said, looking up towards the sun.
‘Well, currently they are only used for the king, but I believe they will spread among humans very soon’, Aziraphale said.
‘And do you also believe there will always be another person needed to hold the flabellum?’, Crawly asked.
Aziraphale knew Crawly was just trying to get a raise out of him with the whole humans-are-selfish shtick, but Aziraphale was not going to let that happen.
‘I am sure they will find a way to shield themselves or maybe they will all shield each other’, Aziraphale said and after a short pause added: ‘And you didn’t mind when I shielded you at Eden, did you?’
Aziraphale couldn’t stop the smug smirk on his face as Crawly looked at him indignantly.
Crawly turned away again and said: ‘You shielded me from rain, not sun though, angel.’
He sounded more distant then before and Aziraphale wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but it felt like Crawly was also putting actual physical distance between them as they followed the procession. Quickly Aziraphale tried to find a way to make it up to him. He might be a demon, the enemy, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hurt Crawly (even if Aziraphale had no idea what he did; maybe Crawly didn’t like the reminder he accepted help from an angel).
‘I am convinced the humans will also find a way to shield themselves from rain, something they can take with them wherever they go. Then you can also have one of whatever they will invent and won’t need me anymore’, Aziraphale said with a smile, trying to make it sound like a joke.
That didn’t seem to make anything better, judging from Crawly’s expression (though, judging wasn’t really part of Aziraphale’s job, of course).
But before Aziraphale could continue talking, Crawly asked: ‘How long are we going to have to walk in this heat anyways?’
Aziraphale, glad about the change of topic, immediately took the opportunity to share his knowledge with Crawly: ‘Well, somewhere behind us priests are carrying the statue of Min and when they reach the end of the procession, King Neferefre will offer the god some sacrifices.’
‘And then?’, Crawly asked.
‘Then the people will celebrate this festival for four days and at the end the king will be given a symbol of fertility and longevity’, Aziraphale explained enthusiastically.
‘Four days? Ngk, that sounds exhausting, especially in this heat’, Crawly said.
‘Maybe’, Aziraphale admitted, ‘but the people do enjoy this festival quite a lot.’
Crawly looked at him again and asked: ‘’s not your first time celebrating this festival?’
He didn’t sound distant at all anymore, so Aziraphale most likely had imagined the distance from before.
‘I was here last year already. It was very entertaining, I tell you’, Aziraphale said with a bright smile, lost in memory.
‘Well’, Crawly said, ‘I’m looking forward to the entertaining part then.’
‘Do you not find the dancers entertaining?’, Aziraphale asked, pointing at some of them not far from him and Crawly.
‘Eh’, Crawly said and shrugged, ‘do you? I thought angels weren’t big on dancing?’
‘Well, it makes the humans happy’, Aziraphale said.
‘And that makes you happy?’
‘Yes, of course’, Aziraphale exclaimed, ‘I am an angel, I want humans to be happy.’
‘Ngk. On second thought, very often humans are happy because of temptations’, Crawly reminded him.
‘Oh, so you are here on hell’s order? Then I can tell you, as an angel, I will stop whatever evil you’re here to bring upon them’, Aziraphale declared.
‘I’m not here on Hell’s order, angel’, Crawly said, ‘I just figured I might find some entertainment here. Without any evil temptations in mind - currently’, he added.
‘Oh’, Aziraphale said, feeling the righteousness leave his body, ‘well, then I suppose we can enjoy the festival together?’
Crawly raised his brows and answered: ‘Sure. Why not?’
Both of them then followed the procession in silence. Aziraphale could feel relief replacing the righteousness. He much preferred enjoying the festival together with Crawly rather than to spend the next few days in a petty struggle against him.