Author's Notes:

This story was written after a prompt by stardust_rain on the LJ community comment_fic: Good Omens, Crowley/Aziraphale, first temptation.

I didn't write Good Omens. I just own a very well-read copy of it. No profit intended, etc, etc...

Major spoiler for a well-known Italian detective novel and the Sean Connery-starring movie adaptation.

It was almost over. The old monk was dying, and the fire was already threatening to engulf the room.

"Well, I guess you won this round," said Aziraphale with a sigh. "Shame about all the books."

"Oh, don't worry," said Crowley, "he'll get extra punishment for burning down the library. You know how fond Lucifer is of books. Knowledge and all that."

"Yeah, but, still... That's the only copy of Aristoteles' On Laughter. It'll be gone."

Aziraphale ran a finger on the scroll, looking wistfully at it. Crowley didn't really understand why the Heaven he cared so much about what some Greek old geezer had to say about laughter, but the look on Aziraphale's face made it too easy for the demon in him.

"Why don't you take it with you?" he asked.

Privately, he was wondering what he was doing, trying to tempt and angel. Aziraphale, of course, was shocked.

"Steal a book? I can't do that!"

"Why not?" asked Crowley casually. "It will be gone anyway. You know what they say: things belong to those who make them better. I don't think the monastery will care much about the ashes."

Crowley was surprised to see that Aziraphale saw his point.

"Yes, but... but," he sputtered.

"I mean, the most important thing is that the manuscript shouldn't get lost, right? After all, it is a defining work for Western philosophy."

"Yes, but, still..."

Aziraphale suddenly gave Crowley a sharp look.

"Why do you care?" he asked, but Crowley could see that he had already won. It was strange how the flames were staying away from the scroll.

"I don't," said Crowley. "It's just that, you know, just because I drove some crazy old fart to poison a bunch of people, set a library on fire and commit suicide doesn't mean I want to start another Dark Age. Remember, the 8th century?"

He gave a theatrical shudder.

"Well, I don't think we should interfere with the Divine Plan. If we have to live through another Dark Age, then so be it," said Aziraphale, and he walked towards the exit without another look towards the books that were catching fire.

Years later, Crowley was going through Aziraphale's trunk, and he stumbled on an ancient parchment scribbled in ancient Greek.

"Son of a bitch," he whispered to himself, grinning.

So it was possible to tempt an angel after all. The 14th century was going to be even more fun than he thought.