author's note: This story takes place more or less directly after s/8602578/1/An-Angel-and-a-Demon-walk-into-a-bar. It will be three chapters. The first chapter is a kind of prologue between Gabriel/Crowley

Gabriel turned on his back lazily. He hadn't felt this relaxed and satisfied in a long time, because no matter how good you were at summoning your dream girl/boy it could never compare to the real deal. He wondered idly if he glowed a little bit and lifted his hand above his head to check. Next to him Crowley chuckled.

"Checking if you turned into a real boy?"

Gabriel grinned and turned to look at the demon next to him. Crowley's hair was ruffled and a thin layer of sweat covered his body and he'd never seen something as sexy in his whole existence.

"I still don't trust you."

The demon laughed. Gabriel noticed all the fine laughter lines around his eyes and how his eyes sparkled in true amusement. He was glad that Crowley didn't take offense and decided that maybe, just maybe this could work as more than simply a one-off.

"Course you don't – you're no bloody idiot." The demon sank back into his pillows a satisfied smile playing along his lips. "Trust is for fools, little girls and old maidens anyway – so as long as you don't start calling me Pollyanna..."

Now it was Gabriel's turn to chuckle as his finger traced along the collar bone of Crowley's vessel.

"Hmm kinky."

The demon pulled him into a kiss and for a while the rest of the world was forgotten.

"Can I ask you a favor?"

Crowley raised an eyebrow. "A favor? Really? I'm a demon, darling – you know the rules."

The angel held back a small sigh. "Sorry, I meant to ask 'Are you interested in a little deal?'"

"With you? - Always." Crowley's eyes already devoured the angel's lips.

"Can you keep your minions away from the Cage for some time?"

And with those words the mood was killed. Crowley slipped into business mood.

"What do you want there?"

"Family business."

"That's not enough explanation bird boy. Your family business more often than not revolves around my kind being wiped out – so you have to give me more than that, if you want a snowball's chance of a deal." Crowley sat up against the headboard of the bed.

"I went through all this trouble to stop my two idiot brothers from destroying this beautiful place and you think that now I'm going to help them? Do I look that stupid to you?"

"Well you are an angel."

Gabriel couldn't help the small smile that crept on his lips. "I need to talk to them – nothing more."

"Nothing?" The doubt was evident in Crowley's voice.

"Well, maybe I can get those two to do the decent thing for once and let their vessels go." Gabriel looked at Crowley from the corner of his eye, afraid the demon would mock him.

"Why would you want to do that?" The demon was baffled.

"They're both good boys as far as I can tell and it would make Cas happy."

"Cas?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes, he really didn't want to explain this to the demon. "My baby brother. He's quite fond of anything that goes by the name of Winchester."

"I think I have to reevaluate my judgment of you, feather-brain. You are at least as big an idiot as your brethren."

The archangel sighed. "Just tell me what you want and spare me the lesson, Crowley."

The demon's eyes were hard and cold as he thought about it. The change was uncanny and frightened Gabriel just a little bit. "A favor – owed by you – collectable by yours truly at my convenience."

He flinched at the venom in Crowley's voice. Every instinct told him that this was a very, very bad idea. Owing a favor was a dangerous thing. One simply shouldn't make deals with demons, especially not from a position of weakness. He gulped. "Two conditions."

"You are in no position to negotiate."

"I want this Crowley," he admitted, "but I've got my limits."

Disgust was written all over the demon's face. "Name them."

"One: I won't disobey my father's orders."

The demon snorted. "God hasn't given an order since before I was born."

"Nevertheless. There are a couple of standing orders and he might come back and give new ones."

"Fine," Crowley agreed with contempt. "I've got the suspicion that you're physically incapable to do so anyway. You'd probably combust on the spot if you tried and there's no gain in that."

"Two: I won't kill or harm any of my brothers and sisters or let them come to harm."

This seemed to surprise the demon. He'd obviously expected something different. "Now listen to you, judging by your tone I'd almost swear that this is more important to you than 'One'."

Gabriel didn't dignify this with a reply.

"Fine," Crowley spat, "24 hours of free passage to the Cage against a favor that won't include you disobeying god or harming any angel."

The kiss was nothing like any of the ones they shared before. It was pure business with some not so subtle undertones of aggression and no traces of lust or even fun anywhere.

"Give me one hour to give the orders and make the necessary arrangements." He turned towards Gabriel once more before leaving. "And stay far enough away from the damn thing, I heard it's able to trap archangels."

It might be that Crowley just wanted to keep his investment safe, but Gabriel smiled anyway. "Thanks."