The Grim Reaper
Tommy14's prompt: Harry and Crowley?
(Just a little bit of spoilers for season 7, episode 1…)
"Oh…shit." Crowley's fogged up the mirror with a bit of a bath, and he's trying to shave, when he sees the figure in the mirror. He's just standing there, and it's sort of creepy and Crowley has to wonder if that's possible – what else is – Crowley is used to being, if not the biggest bad (among demons, at least), fairly formidable.
The mirror figure, well, any demon would recognize him. There are things demons chit chat about, the scary stories are all about angels and him. See – there are lots, and lots and lots of plain old reapers just swimming around as spirits taking care of the balance between life and death, and mostly the paths of reapers and the paths of demons just don't cross. It's rare enough to be unheard of. Yet, demons aren't immune to dying.
There is just one reaper for demons, and no demon knows his name so they called him the Grim reaper – because hellhounds whimper in his presence and demons just get weak in the knees. If you can do that to demons and their beast, you are more than entitled to be named Grim in Crowley's opinion. Yet he's not bad looking, the Grim reaper.
He's lovely really; Crowley doesn't know how it got started that the Grim reaper is some skeleton robed in black and with a scythe in hand. There isn't even a scythe in sight, and Crowley thinks that that's just mortals getting Death mixed up with this reaper, the Grim. Humans will never have glimpsed him, or – well – they'd be a lot more eager to bite the big one.
There have been demons that have gone out of their way to court their deaths and glimpse Grim. He's more than worth the glimpse Crowley's gotten, that is very true, but Crowley has so much to live for – he's the King of Hell, and he's got ambition, and wants to go places but he fancies there is more to life than that. He wants to find out – not, not just die. Not now.
Crowley sees a faint smile cross those lips, and when he spins about there is nothing to see.
Crowley runs his hands through his hair, just breathing, and wonders just how he's going to die. He isn't really the kind to hide – okay, yes, he is – when a crazy declares himself God, yes he had hid and well and truly he knew he wasn't a match for anything swallowing that many souls; but, well – avoiding dying by making deals, it's sort of what demons like Crowley who had been King of the Crossroad did for a living. So he goes to see what he can do about it.
"Ah, Dean, have you named your girlfriend yet? A bit rude not to…." Crowley takes a little bit of delight in making Dean jump -granted he's got his head under the hood of the Impala and he's got a shotgun of salt by him – and salt might not kill a demon, but it stings like knives.
"Crowley, what do you want?" Sam breaths from behind him – because he's of course tall and dangerous like that - Crowley looks and sees the demon killing cursed knife of the Kurds in his hand. It's sort of close to Crowley's neck, actually. It'd be amazingly ironic if, you know, in an effort to avoid death he goes to the ones who kill him. Death is sort of an ass like that.
"You mind, demon-blood drinker? I'm sort of trying to avoid the Grim reaper today." Not that Crowley approves of what Azazel was trying to do with Sam. Crowley doesn't like rivals, and frankly if no Winchester ever goes to Hell and gets his soul twisted into something big black and smoky, Crowley will be happy.
"Really? Because dropping in on us like this? It sort of just screams 'please kill me!'…" Dean smirks up at him and Crowley glances but once to the blade at his throat and swallows. Being cute might get him killed one day, with the Winchesters, but he has a faint feeling they sort of like the sarcastic teasing rather than snarling and salivating.
"Well, actually, I want to give you a spell to bind Death, all I want is to be there and be free to ask a few questions. No orders." Dean looks to Sam, and Crowley knows he's got them right where he wants them.
He gives up the spell, glancing out of the corner of his eyes and skittish of every shadow. Binding Death is one of the few things that demons just can't do, it's strictly an ancient human-only spell; for good reason too. Crowley doesn't mind getting his hands dusty and bloody if it's for a good cause, and this – his impending death – is a very good one.
They do the spell, and then there is Death. He's sort of pissed off.
He talks to Dean and sort of calms down, gets a snack, he looks at Crowley, and smiles – not at him – but at who's standing behind him.
"Hello, Harry." If Death likes Dean, he sounds like he downright loves Harry…Crowley can't help but look over his shoulder, and yes, there he is – the Grim reaper. His eyes are this brilliant green and his got black hair just like Death, only there is more of it, and it's sort of wild and everywhere.
Crowley hears the soft curse of one of the Winchesters, and when he looks there is a gun pointed behind him. At the Grim reaper. Death is very, very still, his black eyes fixed upon Dean and Sam – Crowley can't look at anything but the Grim reaper – but he knows Death will be more than a little ticked off if they kill the Grim reaper.
"Don't! Just…just don't." Crowley isn't in the habit of pleading or asking, but he does, and Sam frowns, looking between Crowley and the Grim reaper, Harry.
"Sir, do you need me to take care of them?" The Grim reaper looks about, not seeming to see that that he's in any danger. Only seeing that Death has been bound; Reapers are adorably oblivious like that. They've lived and died and don't see how dying again could hurt them.
"Not at all, old friend. They are quite beneath your worry. I see you've found yourself a demon, the King of Hell, hmm? When does he die?" Death questions, calm in the face of what could be a killing. All Crowley knows is that he doesn't want to die for the Grim reaper – but he will, because he's the sort of thing worth dying for. Harry, the Grim reaper, simply smiles.
"Never. Isn't he lovely?" Death's eyes widen just a little bit, but he doesn't question Harry on it. There are only a few demons that the Grim reaper will not take, and Death knows those limits well.
Crowley shivers when the Grim reaper kisses his cheek, nipping playfully at the edges of his lips, he's got a scar upon his brow, like lightning – and Crowley wonders if a demon did such a thing to their – his – Grim reaper. Crowley sees those big green eyes wink up at him, and in flare of lights – Harry, the Grim reaper, is gone.
Death laughs, and when he sees Clowley's stunned and stillness, waves a hand.
"Well, do go after him – he's been waiting a long time for someone like you, best not keep him waiting any more." Crowley does what any demon that sees something they want would do – he follows, for what's the harm in a little flirting– and some seducing, because he might be the King of Hell, but he's no snob – there is no harm in courting the Grim reaper when he can't die.
He's the King of Hell and he's going to ask –some day very, very soon (once he gets up the nerve to ask Death if he doesn't mind) the Grim reaper to be his consort, or suitor or beau – partner?
Or, well, something significant.
But really, what it is between them? It's bloody brilliant, is what it is.