(no subject)

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

Date: October 2, 2000
Setting: Transatlantic Flight en route to N.Y.
Status: Private - John, Crowley
Summary: The boys take a road trip.



"Would you fucking settle down already?" John said in an undertone as the lady in 4-B screeched about the cargo compartment that had just flown open for no apparent reason, dumping the garish contents of her overstuffed cosmetics case on her head and spilling foundation down the front of her red dress. "The damn plane's not gonna fall out of the air, and if it did, hello, you can work miracles. Remember?"

Crowley had been none too pleased at the prospect of getting on a plane in the first place, and he'd been taking his nervousness out on the other passengers almost from the moment they'd lifted off. The flight attendants were almost in tears, several people had demanded that their seats be changed or their tickets refunded, and at least one lady had had an unexpected religious conversion when a particularly bad patch of turbulence had convinced her the jet was going down, which had in no way improved Crowley's mood.

John reflected glumly as he watched several tubes of expensive lipstick roll past him down the aisle that it was probably best he had caved and let the demon gimmick them first-class seats. Crammed into coach, things would likely have been ten times worse.

He was looking forward to seeing Zatanna again and to introducing her to his best mate, but he was seriously considering booking passage on a boat for the return trip.

Comments

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Crowley shrugged. "Fuck if we know. Right now it's a safe house. It's nice to know when I fall asleep that I'll be waking up the next morning. But until we know what started this damn war, I don't think we'll know what the kid has in mind. He plays things close to the vest. Sometimes he lets shit happen and sometimes he doesn't. But he's all right if you play by his rules."

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

John hid a smile, silently marking off another small debt he owed Crowley. Hearing from a third party that the Manor was safe would carry a lot more weight than any amount of assurances he could give Zee himself.

"And in the meantime, we get to do fun things like needling the Snob and playing with friendly tentacle monsters." He reached across Zatanna to grab a handful from the dwindling bowl of popcorn. "Christ, I forgot how bad this film really is. Turn 'em back, Crowley, this is fucking weirding me out."

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Laughing, the demon waved a hand and turned them all back to the original actors.

"This movie is pretty awful. You two mind if I duck out early? I'd like to get my bearings..." Meaning, 'I haven't had a chance to really mess with anyone for months and it's driving me bloody crazy.'

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

"G'head," Zatanna said, waving a hand in the general direction of the door. "Just try to limit the mayhem and destruction to the touristy spots, would you? New Yorkers are obnoxious enough without infernal encouragement. Oh--raeppa namsilaT," she added, making a quick gesture and flipping a small metal disk in Crowley's direction. It was about the size and color of a subway token, but with considerably more esoteric markings. "Keep that on you and the night wards'll let you in."

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Crowley snatched the talisman out of the air and slid it into a trouser pocket. He didn't reply, just smiled, and slipped out the door. Pushing up his sunglasses against the sideways glare of the setting sun, the demon walked north, ready to see what kind of trouble he could make.

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

"Enjoy," John called with a wave before the door closed, and settled back to watch the remainder of the movie. Though he couldn't quite bring himself to laugh at the scene in which Gabriel's heart was ripped out and eaten by Lucifer. Crazy bastard would do it, just to get the bystanders' reactions, he thought morbidly.

"I like him," Zatanna said thoughtfully, and it took him a minute to shift his mental gears and catch on to what she meant.

"Oh, Crowley? Yeah, thought you would," he said with a smile. "He's a brick. I forget sometimes what he actually is." And not because he hadn't seen Crowley in full infernal regalia, either. "Not many demons I can say that about."

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

"I can tell." Zatanna left it at that, knowing that if she completed the thought--Only you don't just like him, you love him--it wasn't likely to go over real well, even if she didn't mean it that way.

Instead she curled up close against John's side and laid her head on his shoulder. In for a penny, in for a pound.

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

John glanced down and frowned slightly, not really put off, but not quite sure where this sudden clinginess was coming from. "What's up?" he asked softly, stroking the mass of dark curls reassuringly. "'s not like you to cozy up like this right off. Something the matter?"

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

"I dunno. Maybe I'm getting sick of buying batteries," Zatanna said lightly. "Or maybe you scared the crap out of me calling up and asking weird questions a while ago and then not calling back. Did you find the thing you were looking for?"

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

John laughed out loud at the innuendo, but then sobered abruptly. Ah. "I didn't mean to worry you," he said contritely, drawing her closer in a slight apologetic hug. "I didn't ring back 'cause I did find it, and it was safe and sound all along and I felt like a complete prat for raising a ruckus about it. I ought to've let you know, though." He kissed the top of her head. "Forgive?"

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

"Not if that's all the apology I'm going to get, buster." Zatanna tilted her head up to regard him imperiously. "Call that a kiss? 'Cause I don't."

[dangeroushabits.livejournal.com]

Momentarily transfixed by what he saw smouldering behind the humor in Zatanna's eyes, John realized with a sense of mingled resignation and exhilaration that he wasn't going to get out of it this time. Not that he honestly wanted to. Desire had never been the problem, not twenty-odd years ago or any time since. Christ knew it wasn't an issue right now...

"No mercy, eh?" Inclining his head slightly to murmur in her ear, he trailed his hand lightly down the side of her face as his voice dropped nearly a full octave. "Two can play at that, you know..." He chuckled huskily, teasing fingers finding that spot not quite behind her ear, and she startled, a tiny gasp conveniently parting her lips as he turned and leaned in suddenly to give her what she wanted.

[no-npc-here.livejournal.com]

"He is unworthy of you, Zatanna."

"Unworthy?" Sharp, biting laugh. "What am I, some kind of princess?"

"Well, technically--"

"Oh, don't even go there, Dad. I know he's a little rough around the edges, but his heart's in the right place."

"That isn't the issue! The Constantine line is cursed, Zatanna. Darkness clings to the man like a shroud, it's in his blood. All he can ever give you is grief. You deserve better."

"It isn't his fault he was born a Constantine. He'd never hurt me."

"...no. No, it isn't. And he does care for you, in his way. Which is why I haven't forbidden you outright from seeing him--"

"--not that you could--"

"Don't be so flippant, girl. Mark my words, trouble is John Constantine's first love, and a jealous mistress she is. He won't stay, all his good intentions to the contrary. And when he goes, he'll leave nothing but misery in his wake."

Well, she could admit when she'd been wrong. And she wasn't an idiot. She knew all about Kit Ryan, and she knew the look in a man's eyes when he wanted what was in front of him, but wanted something else more.

She kissed him anyway, sliding her arms around his waist and pressing close with a low, eager sound; wishing he was wearing that stupid trench coat so she could have the pleasure of peeling it off him. Because in twenty years there had been no one who knew her better, could still surprise and arouse her that way without even really trying, and he was hardly the only man who'd gone away and left her life in chaos; and because she'd given up a long time ago on white picket fences and Happily Ever After.