Can We Get On? (Ineffable Husbands 2 Week 2021)

/5/ You've Already Slammed Me Into A Wall Today (1,000 Words)

Tadfield had an ice rink. On most days, it'd just be used by the local children to skate around and have fun. But on Saturday nights, it belonged to The Hogback Angels and The St. Beryl Devils, two very unprofessional and unofficial ice hockey teams made up of a few local college kids. Since they had always had a bit of a rivalry going on, they decided to take it to the ice once they all found out they liked hockey. Plus, it gave them an excuse to get physical without getting in trouble.

Unfortunately, since it wasn't a professional rink, they lacked the proper budget once things got out of hand. One night, some name-calling from a few spectators lead to one drunken visitor breaking through the Devils' penalty box. Which meant they now had to share the Angels'. To avoid more fighting inside the lone penalty box, the rink's manager told everyone there would be a fine to pay if they laid hands on each other. Secretly, the man in charge hoped they would fight anyway, just so he could afford to fix the other box quickly. Taking so long tended to aggravate the Devils, especially their team captain, Bee Z. Bubb.

The St. Beryl Devils got their name from an old legend they had heard of when they were all children. Apparently, Tadfield Manor used to be home to a satanic nunnery several decades before it was turned into a paintball field. Bee's older brother Lucas swore he had seen a few upside-down crosses and pentagram pendants on the walls before it became Tadfield Manor. Mind you, he was the only local to see the inside of the building before the remodeling took place. There was a very good chance he had made it all up, considering Lucas was known for being a prankster. Whether it was true or not, the story stuck, as did rumors about the paintball field being haunted by demons and devils thanks to the nunnery. Lucas and his group of friends referred to themselves as 'The St. Beryl Demons', while Bee and hers liked to call themselves 'The St. Beryl Devils'.

The Hogback Angels actually, and much to their dismay, got their name thanks to the Devils. Mainly because they were all theology students who would study out in Hogback Wood. Unfortunately for them, their name also stuck. If nothing else, thanks to their rivalry. Especially since they started playing hockey against each other every weekend.

Funnier still was the fact that many of the perceived problems between the teams were simply that. Bee perceived Gabriel to be a pretentious bastard purely by his body language and not anything he had said to her directly. Michael and Ligur were the goalies for the Angels and Devils respectively, and would basically death-glare each other until the puck was near their vicinity. Hastur seemed to hate everyone equally on the Angels team, so it didn't quite matter who he'd end up ramming against the barricades, though it would usually be Sandalphon because he was an easy target. Unlike Dagon. No matter how quick and slippery Dagon was, Uriel always had her guard on her, which annoyed her greatly, since Uriel was the only one of the Angels who could keep up with her. 

Then there was Anthony J. Crowley and Aziraphale Z. Fell. The pair were considered the battering rams of the teams. Crowley, ironically, was the skinniest player on either team, but packed the most power when ramming into someone. Everyone was sure it was momentum based, especially since Aziraphale was about twice his size and his tackles hurt much less! Having been on the receiving side of said tackles numerous times, Aziraphale chalked it up to Crowley being an angry and competitive man.

Turns out, he was partly right. One day, they both ended up in the box together and they got to talking. This lead to the two of them finding out they had many things in common. For instance, their competitiveness was usually tepid, unless they were on the ice. They both enjoyed classic movies and books. Or rather, they both loved stories. Crowley preferred audiobooks while Aziraphale favored the physical ones. They even shared some of the same tastes, though not the same opinions. They argued about which were better, Shakespeare's comedies or his tragedies, until they were allowed back in the game.

Their penalty box chats were very pleasant, and they grew more frequent over time. Eventually, they exchanged phone numbers and started hanging out outside of the ice rink. At first, the rest of the Angels were in total shock that Aziraphale was friendly with one of the Devils, but they stopped their glaring after a while. Meanwhile, Crowley's teammates didn't really seem to care, so long as Crowley didn't go easy on the chubby man while they were on the ice. That last bit, the pair found very amusing. Now, every slam against the barrier was laced with flirting. Sometimes, they'd be a bit rough just to get sent to the box and talk, or continue flirting, depending on their mood.

On one particular evening, things had gotten heated as they made their way to Crowley's flat. The skinny man couldn't keep his hands to himself, slamming and pressing Aziraphale against his front door, with a wicked grin on his face. To his surprise, Aziraphale matched his facial expressions, rather than acting flustered.

"You've already slammed me into a wall today, darling." Said the blond smugly. "Let me have a go." Said Aziraphale as he grabbed the redhead, flipped their positions, pinning Crowley and capturing the skinny man's lips into a very heated kiss. Once they parted to breathe, and actually go into the apartment, Crowley couldn't help but laugh.

"I hope you're aware that I'll only be thinking of that kiss the next time you squish me up against the rink's glass." Said Crowley, leading him to the bedroom.

Aziraphale smiled. "Good."