[ Another quiet day in Wonderland, which is probably saying a lot, while not saying enough. Things change, sure, but mostly outside of their room, because between Blake and Crowley, most everything remains stable. Surprisingly enough.
John shoos one of the dogs out of the kitchen as he sweeps. Most of his attention lately has centered around keeping everything clean and tidy, like he's returned back to the slightly obsessive man he was when they first met. Despite having so many animals, the place stays neat thanks to both their efforts, but Blake gets some kind of sick enjoyment out of tidying.
Of course, it doesn't stop him from conversing with his demon while he sweeps up the last bit of nearly nothing. ]
—yeah, I, uh. Promised Lilith a favor a while back, so I'm just waitin' for that to go down. [ Said as if it's nothing at all. John leans on his broom and glances over at Crowley, his concern over the demon's reaction well-hidden. He's not as calm about this as he appears, but he's not the type to shirk away from the truth. ]
She's not the type to hold that over a person forever, right?
[ Crowley's busying himself with one of the dogs, as is his default activity when there's a dog and he's not already in the middle of something (and sometimes even when he is). There's an odd sort of joy he always gets from a happy, well-fed dog that he can't get many places, as if even at his darkest, that one holdover of humanity never quite managed to leave. He might be soulless, but he can't resist a cute dog and there's no such thing as a dog that isn't cute.
He sighs, looking more exasperated than anything else as he glances up to Blake. ]
[ At least they're less likely to scream at each other anymore. Blake shrugs. ]
It wasn't so much what I did, it's what she didn't do. [ ... ] When I was infected, she let me go. I bribed her to let me go, so... I guess I did somethin' if you wanna think of it like that.
How bad's it gonna be? Not like I've got much and I'm sure as hell not givin' you up, so I don't think she'd ever dare to ask.
[ Crowley smirks and straightens up. If he's implying something, he's sure that he has no idea what it is, but at this point everyone close to them much know that Crowley would kill for less and he and Lilith are nothing if not close.
No, Lilith is clever in many of the same ways that Crowley is. She must know how little that would serve her. ]
I hope you put some reasonable caveats on the offer.
[ He also promised he wouldn't tell Crowley the nature of the favor, so there's that, but since Crowley isn't asking, Blake's not offering that tidbit. It should really go without saying, let's be real. ]
Prob'ly won't even get a chance to collect knowin' this place.
[ John tosses away the dust and then stows the broom and pan. ]
[ Crowley's face looks pinched as he steps closer. ]
Much as I appreciate the concern, I can handle Lilith. I'm a little more worried about what she might do to you.
[ She's behaved and they're back on good terms, but ultimately Crowley can't help worrying that she won't lash out. The two of them are cut from the same cloth and he knows her almost as well as he knows himself. ]
[ If he weren't already expecting something like this, John might find himself perturbed. Instead, he's resolved not to do much more than sigh quietly. ]
Pretty sure we're both fairly safe. [ And then a big smile. ] She seems to like me.
I can't decide if that makes me happy or worries me more.
[ But his expression lightens a little. He's moved on because he's had years to process Lilith's death, but she's still important to him. She's the closest thing he ever had to a family. Even as a demon, there's some sentimentality he could never quite help when it came to her.
He wants to be suspicious, but the idea of Blake and Lilith getting along is too appealing to fight wholeheartedly. ]
But I would question the taste of anyone who didn't like you.
[ A snort escapes and he passes Crowley too close on his way past. Their fingers brush and he turns and backs toward the sink. ]
You should always be worried.
[ He turns and fills a glass with water. ]
We've got way too much goin' on here not to be worried.
[ And by that, he means that they're practically married and it's getting more and more obvious by the day that there's no possibility of coming back from this point. ]
[ With a grin, Crowley wraps an arm around Blake's waist. ]
Good. That's what I like to hear, sweetheart.
[ He hates how easily he's mollified, but at the same time, he can't help wanting to enjoy the time he gets with Blake here. Wonderland is constantly reminding him that he'll never know how limited it is. It even helps Blake to remind him, like during that event last month. That had been a hard pill to swallow. ]
[ Blake's given up on fighting the way all of this has come to be easy. He almost expects this sort of even keel provided by their steady relationship, and when he indulges in these quiet moments with Crowley, he doesn't even feel guilty anymore.
His weight presses against the demon. ]
How many favors you think I owe you by now? Haven't really been keepin' count.
[ At least in part because Crowley will keep doing things for Blake simply because he wants to. He likes keeping Blake safe and he likes pulling smiles out of him. ]
I have to collect them so that you can't go anywhere.
Something tells me you don't gotta worry too much about that. Some days I hardly leave the room.
[ Not that he's blaming you, Crowley. Not at all, nope. ]
Course, I blame you for that. Didn't I used to be a principled, ambitious, active member of this community?
[ Cue a shit-eating smirk. No one knows John better than Crowley, and the demon can surely sense the bullshit hidden in that statement: Blake's made all of his own choices in getting here. ]
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John shoos one of the dogs out of the kitchen as he sweeps. Most of his attention lately has centered around keeping everything clean and tidy, like he's returned back to the slightly obsessive man he was when they first met. Despite having so many animals, the place stays neat thanks to both their efforts, but Blake gets some kind of sick enjoyment out of tidying.
Of course, it doesn't stop him from conversing with his demon while he sweeps up the last bit of nearly nothing. ]
—yeah, I, uh. Promised Lilith a favor a while back, so I'm just waitin' for that to go down. [ Said as if it's nothing at all. John leans on his broom and glances over at Crowley, his concern over the demon's reaction well-hidden. He's not as calm about this as he appears, but he's not the type to shirk away from the truth. ]
She's not the type to hold that over a person forever, right?
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He sighs, looking more exasperated than anything else as he glances up to Blake. ]
Of course not. I learned that from someone else.
[ As if Lilith could do anything less. ]
What did you do?
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It wasn't so much what I did, it's what she didn't do. [ ... ] When I was infected, she let me go. I bribed her to let me go, so... I guess I did somethin' if you wanna think of it like that.
How bad's it gonna be? Not like I've got much and I'm sure as hell not givin' you up, so I don't think she'd ever dare to ask.
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[ Crowley smirks and straightens up. If he's implying something, he's sure that he has no idea what it is, but at this point everyone close to them much know that Crowley would kill for less and he and Lilith are nothing if not close.
No, Lilith is clever in many of the same ways that Crowley is. She must know how little that would serve her. ]
I hope you put some reasonable caveats on the offer.
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[ He also promised he wouldn't tell Crowley the nature of the favor, so there's that, but since Crowley isn't asking, Blake's not offering that tidbit. It should really go without saying, let's be real. ]
Prob'ly won't even get a chance to collect knowin' this place.
[ John tosses away the dust and then stows the broom and pan. ]
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Much as I appreciate the concern, I can handle Lilith. I'm a little more worried about what she might do to you.
[ She's behaved and they're back on good terms, but ultimately Crowley can't help worrying that she won't lash out. The two of them are cut from the same cloth and he knows her almost as well as he knows himself. ]
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Pretty sure we're both fairly safe. [ And then a big smile. ] She seems to like me.
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[ But his expression lightens a little. He's moved on because he's had years to process Lilith's death, but she's still important to him. She's the closest thing he ever had to a family. Even as a demon, there's some sentimentality he could never quite help when it came to her.
He wants to be suspicious, but the idea of Blake and Lilith getting along is too appealing to fight wholeheartedly. ]
But I would question the taste of anyone who didn't like you.
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You should always be worried.
[ He turns and fills a glass with water. ]
We've got way too much goin' on here not to be worried.
[ And by that, he means that they're practically married and it's getting more and more obvious by the day that there's no possibility of coming back from this point. ]
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[ Blake gets a coy smile for his trouble. Crowley's only teasing. Mostly. ]
What would you like me to worry about?
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Can't think of a thing.
[ Famous last words? ]
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Good. That's what I like to hear, sweetheart.
[ He hates how easily he's mollified, but at the same time, he can't help wanting to enjoy the time he gets with Blake here. Wonderland is constantly reminding him that he'll never know how limited it is. It even helps Blake to remind him, like during that event last month. That had been a hard pill to swallow. ]
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His weight presses against the demon. ]
How many favors you think I owe you by now? Haven't really been keepin' count.
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[ At least in part because Crowley will keep doing things for Blake simply because he wants to. He likes keeping Blake safe and he likes pulling smiles out of him. ]
I have to collect them so that you can't go anywhere.
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[ Not that he's blaming you, Crowley. Not at all, nope. ]
Course, I blame you for that. Didn't I used to be a principled, ambitious, active member of this community?
[ Cue a shit-eating smirk. No one knows John better than Crowley, and the demon can surely sense the bullshit hidden in that statement: Blake's made all of his own choices in getting here. ]
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[ And Crowley will take all the credit for than, thanks. He's rubbed off in multiple spectacular ways on one John Blake. ]
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[ But how can he complain? Without Crowley around, he'd have certainly made it to his fifth death by now. ]