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“Listen—”
“Heaven has no taste.”
“Now—”
“And not
one single sushi restaurant.”
A look of pain crossed the angel’s suddenly very serious face.
“I can’t cope with this while ’m drunk,” he said. “I’m going to sober up.”
“Me too.”
They both winced as the alcohol left their bloodstreams, and sat up a bit more neatly. Aziraphale straightened his tie.
“I can’t interfere with divine plans,” he croaked.
Crowley looked speculatively into his glass, and then filled it again.
“What about diabolical ones?” he said.
“Pardon?”
“Well, it’s got to be a diabolical plan, hasn’t it? We’re doing it. My side.”
“Ah, but it’s all part of the overall divine plan,” said Aziraphale. “Your side can’t do anything without it being part of the ineffable divine plan,” he added, with a trace of smugness.
“You wish!”
“No, that’s the—” Aziraphale snapped his fingers irritably. “The thing. What d’you call it in your colorful idiom? The line at the bottom.”
“The bottom line.”
“Yes. It’s that.”
“Well … if you’re sure … ” said Crowley.
“No doubt about it.”
Crowley looked up slyly.
“Then you can’t be certain, correct me if I’m wrong, you can’t be certain that thwarting it isn’t part of the divine plan too. I mean, you’re supposed to thwart the wiles of the Evil One at every turn, aren’t you?”
Aziraphale hesitated.
“There is that, yes.”
“You see a wile, you thwart. Am I right?”
“Broadly, broadly. Actually I encourage humans to do the actual thwarting. Because of ineffability, you understand.”
“Right. Right. So all you’ve got to do is thwart. Because if I know anything,” said Crowley urgently, “it’s that the birth is just the start. It’s the upbringing that’s important. It’s the Influences. Otherwise the child will never learn to use its powers.” He hesitated. “At least, not necessarily as intended.”
“Certainly our side won’t mind me thwarting you,” said Aziraphale thoughtfully. “They won’t mind that at all.”
“Right. It’d be a real feather in your wing.” Crowley gave the angel an encouraging smile.
