„Crowley! You...you fiend!", said a loud voice, startling Crowley from his doze.
„Huh? Wazzup?", asked Crowley, his head shooting up. He blinked at the angel with confusion and a slight headache, not having bothered to sober up yet.
The angel was waving a book in front of his nose. It looked like the kind of book one bought at airports*, or train stations and 'forgot' in the hotel room at the end of the holiday; one of those where the author name was bigger than the title.
„I just bought this" Aziraphale pointed at the little airport bookshop across from the waiting area "This is your doing, isn't it?", he said accusingly. After getting a few stares for his initial shriek, the angel had lowered his volume considerably.
„What is?", asked Crowley and frowned at the book, crossing his eyes trying to read the title.
„This!" The angel turned the book around and pointed a perfectly manicured finger at the back cover. Crowley pushed himself up a bit and took a closer look. Then he smirked.
„I knew you'd hate it. Definitely going into my next report", he said, sounding genuinely satisfied.
„I...you...don't you dare make this a regular thing", said Aziraphale, sounding genuinely upset.
„Don't worry angel", said Crowley. He pushed the sunglasses that had slipped down his nose back up and laid down again, relaxing his spine to a slightly impossibly degree. „'S not going to catch on for quality books."
Aziraphale still looked miffed, turning the book over in his hands.
'Extraordinary!' Neil Gaiman it read on the back, followed by 'A breathtaking tale of treachery and treason!' Daily Book Review and, in slightly bigger letters: 'A must-read this year! New York Times. There was no blurb to be found anywhere. Not even on the inside of the cover. Nothing at all.
.
.
.
.
*Which was coincidentally where they were now, waiting for boarding to begin. 'Like everyone else', Aziraphale had said sternly. 'No use of Powers.'** Crowley had scoffed at this and instantly made himself fall asleep while spread over three seats in a very inhuman position.
**Less than ten minutes in and the announcement of a two hour delay later he was regretting this decision like none before, but it was too late to back out now.
Yeah okay, so this might be a pet peeve of mine. Especially since I was halfway through what I *thought* was going to be some kind of sci-fi/dystopian/thriller novel (educated guess according to the 2 lines quoted on the inside of the cover) when it turned out to be about a zombie apocalypse. Look pal, if I wanted to read something about a zombie apocalypse I would have fucking bought something that said "ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE" in bright big letters on the back cover! I just *know* this was Crowley's doing!