Chapter Text
"You shouldn't have to leave", Adam suddenly said as he was standing at the front of the car.
Both the demon and the angel froze.
"That's not fair".
Aziraphale stepped away from the car door. "Well I'll be damned", he mumbled.
Crowley glanced at Aziraphale before staring at the boy. He pulled his glasses down to see him better.
"What are you doing here?", Aziraphale asked.
"How did you get here more like it", Crowley muttered under his breath and pulled his glasses back on. "And where's that dog of yours?".
"I had a dream about you all", Adam said like that answered everything.
Crowley was about to make a comment but Aziraphale said: "What do you mean?" before he could.
"I heard them talking about you. That stuck-up businessman and that dirty looking one. They shook hands on it in a graveyard".
The two exchanged looks before looking at him again.
The three sat in the Bentley. They were driving out of London.
"You mean to tell me you still have your powers?", Aziraphale asked in disbelief.
"Do your parents know you're out here?". Crowley took a sharp left which caused Aziraphale to hang on to the dashboard. Adam smiled.
"No. They wouldn't even let me go to the airbase by myself". He crossed his arms and stopped smiling.
"How did you get here?". Aziraphale glanced back at him.
"I wanted to find you both", Adam shrugged.
"That's all it took? Really?". Crowley lightly shook his head. He was still processing this.
"Why are you helping us?", Aziraphale asked in a tone that made sure he sounded grateful.
"I thought I could get a metal for being a hero or something! Unless you're the bad guys", Adam shrugged.
"Oh no! I'm not- we're not-", Aziraphale stumbled over his words.
He only stopped because Crowley chuckled.
Aziraphale huffed and regained composure. "What were you saying about Gabriel and Beelzebub?".
Adam was looking out the window. "The businessman said something about how the angels should get your friend and the other way around".
He was now focusing on an ice cream shop. There was a chalkboard sign that said "MORE THAN 20 FLAVORS" in bright blue writing sitting outside.
Crowley sped up and got more tense.
Aziraphale half glanced-half glared at Crowley. "So they were planning something".
He groaned. "Okay so they were. That's not my fault. How was I supposed to know they were planning something?".
Aziraphale sighed.
"What would we have done anyway? Asked them politely to not go through with it? I know we stopped a war you've been waiting on for years but can you please not kill us for stopping it from happening completely? We didn't mean to divert it all. Did I mention I said please?". Crowley's accent got thicker as he went on.
Aziraphale shook his head and looked back at Adam who was now eating vanilla ice cream off the cone. ".. I think we should bring you back home first".
"Then we'll save our own skin?", Crowley quirked a brow and took another turn. He was headed for the M25.
"Oh, it's alright. I can go home whenever I want", Adam shrugged.
Neither of them doubted that. Still. They kept driving.
As they pulled onto the M25, a thought came to Aziraphale. "Adam, I must thank you".
Crowley scoffed. "For what?".
"The bookshop. That was you, wasn't it?", Aziraphale smiled.
"I guess. But I don't really like books. Unless they're about pirates or spaceships or-"
"Right, right. What about my car?", Crowley asked.
"I didn't mean to fix this either. It's right cool though". Adam looked around the Bentley.
Aziraphale had stopped smiling. Crowley wore it instead.
"So, you prefer cars to books, huh?", Crowley asked. He felt smug about this.
"I like spaceships more than cars but yeah. Cars can have big guns on the tops of them". Adam finished the cone of the ice cream.
"Are you sure he doesn't take after his father?", Aziraphale leaned over towards Crowley.
"I'm sure every human is a little like their father", Crowley shrugged.
"You know what I mean, Crowley", Aziraphale huffed.
"He seems like any ordinary eleven year old boy to me"
"But he's not _just_ an ordinary boy", Aziraphale frowned a little.
Crowley thought it over. You could tell cause he was silent for a moment. "... Ehh, 'm sure it's fine".
Aziraphale sighed again. He turned back to look at Adam but found he was not there. He was about to ask Crowley where he had went when police sirens blared behind them.
"Agh, I don't have time for this!", Crowley groaned. He raised his hand in preparation but once Aziraphale cleared his throat loudly and gave him a look it was lowered again with a huff.
"Just pull over", Aziraphale said with pleading eyes.
Crowley rolled his under the glasses and parked the car on the side of the road. "Fine, fine, I'm pulling over".
"Thank you", Aziraphale smiled.
The two waited for any sort of policeman to walk up to the window. All they got was someone saying "Step out of the vehicle" through a megaphone.
Crowley gave Aziraphale a look and held it the whole way out of the car. They both stood outside.
"What seems to be the problem, officer?", Aziraphale asked loudly, eyeing the car behind them.
Crowley's nose twitched. He looked at Aziraphale. "Angel!".
Two demons grabbed Aziraphale by the arms. He gasped. "Unhand me you dreadful-"
But he was cut off by the hard knock of a gun barrel on the back of his head. The gun was held by Hastur who was wearing an out-of-date police uniform. "Humans and their toys", he grinned.
Crowley would have done more if he wasn't ceased by two angels and held back as well. "Angel!", he yelled.
He was only silenced by a piece of white tape around his mouth.
He hated the M25.
Gabriel paced around the empty floors of Heaven. "Why would they bring them here?".
"We don't have space for them in Hell", Beelzebub explained as they watched him.
"So you brought them here? You couldn't have brought them anywhere else?"
"No"
Gabriel took a deep breath and held his hands together. "You better hope nothing goes wrong".
"It's not my problem if it does", they shrugged.
Gabriel's shoulders raised and fell as he stopped pacing. He smiled far too wide for it to be genuine. "You are no help".
"That's my job".
Crowley was lounging in a chair he just happened to also be tied to. His wrists were bound by the same red rope he had avoided earlier. He hadn't missed this place at all. Too bright.
Aziraphale opened his eyes. He shifted around to find he too was bound. He looked around with searching eyes before hearing Crowley move behind him.
"Crowley! Is that you?"
Crowley would have responded if his mouth wasn't covered.
"You can't fool me, I hear you. Say something"
Crowley rolled his eyes. He turned his head enough so Aziraphale could barely make out his face but he was looking somewhere else.
Aziraphale sighed. "I know you don't like it up here", he said softly. "It's the lack of plants isn't it?", he joked weakly.
Crowley raised a brow at this.
"Or.. Or maybe you're mad at me", he frowned slightly.
Crowley blinked. Him mad at Aziraphale? Never!
He was going to protest the best he could but the angel was already talking again.
"I don't mean to demonize you.. Rather, I don't mean to in the metaphorical sense", he started to explain.
"You aren't _evil_ Crowley. You just drew the wrong demonic cards? No, that doesn't sound right". Aziraphale shook his head.
"You made a mistake and paid gravely for it. And now you're a demon. That's not something one prepares for, is it? Maybe the others did but not you"
Crowley slowly turned to face forward again. He listened.
"You only asked some questions. I don't see why it's so bad to ask some questions", Aziraphale continued, getting quieter until he finished.
"I really should apologize though. We've known each other for thousands of years, Crowley. It's not very sporting, how I've treated you so far. We're fruh... No"
Crowley glanced back at him with a quiet sigh. He knew it.
Aziraphale chuckled a little. "You don't know someone for two thousand years and call them your friend. That's just ridiculous".
Crowley's brow furrowed a little.
".. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Crowley. We're-"
Suddenly Gabriel and Beelzebub were standing beside the two while maintaining a healthy distance. Aziraphale shut his mouth.
"Alright you two. Your time has come". Gabriel clapped his hands together.
"Again", Beelzebub added.
"I.. I'm sure there is some way we can settle this-", Aziraphale was quick to bargain.
"No. Not another word", Gabriel cut him off with daggers for eyes.
"You remember your report on the French Revolution. Don't you Crowley?", Beelzebub asked with a smile as they approached him.
He thought back on it. He wished he hadn't.
Beelzebub tore the tape off his face which Aziraphale could hear. His eyes went wide with realization.
"Listen, Beelzebub, you got it all wrong here", Crowley smiled weakly.
"If we can't eliminate you completely, we will just have to go down the list". Beelzebub waved their hand and Crowley's report appeared in their grip.
Aziraphale glanced at Gabriel who seemed all too pleased with how Beelzebub was handling things.
"Now you..", Gabriel smiled and looked at Aziraphale. "What to do with you".
Aziraphale took a breath and looked back at the demons. "You won't actually do all of that to him, will you?".
Beelzebub silently looked over the paper. Crowley was frowning ever so slightly.
Aziraphale frowned in turn.
"Do you think we can borrow some of those?", Gabriel asked Beelzebub. He was now looking over their shoulder at the report.
"Be my guezt"
Aziraphale struggled against the ropes. "Now hold on a minute! You're angels. We don't do that sort of thing!".
"We do when one of our own is a traitor", Gabriel said with the tone someone would use when explaining something to a toddler and the expression to match.
Aziraphale huffed and looked forward.
Crowley cleared his throat. "Uh, quick question".
Beelzebub sighed. "What?".
"Aren't we allowed last words?"
Both Beelzebub and Gabriel thought this over. They looked at each other. Then to Crowley.
"Make it quick", Beelzebub said with a hint of disappointment.
Crowley opened his mouth.
"I would like to speak first, if that is alright with you?", Aziraphale asked.
"... Uh, sure, yeah. Go for it", Crowley nodded quickly.
Aziraphale took a deep breath. "Well, seeing as after this I won't have time to ever say it..".
He puffed it out. "I've always liked you, Crowley".
Crowley blinked his now wide eyes.
"I know. We're an angel and a demon but it's expected, isn't it? We've known each other sense the beginning-"
"And I've liked you sense then", Crowley cut him off quietly.
Aziraphale smiled a little. "Did you?".
"Hard not to", Crowley smiled as well.
Aziraphale glanced back. "Really?".
".. Sense Eden", Crowley admitted.
Aziraphale smiled more. "Oh, Crowley"
"Don't give me that. You didn't make it very easy to tell you felt the same", Crowley scoffed.
Aziraphale sighed. "Well, I'm telling you now aren't I?".
"Ehhh, I guess so. Better than never I guess", Crowley shrugged.
"So.. Who's going to say it first?". Aziraphale teetered on whispering now.
"Say what?"
"You know"
".... Oh". The realization hit Crowley's face.
The two sat in silence for a moment.
"I mean, you took this long to simply say you liked me-"
"Ah ah, but I said that first"
"Aw, come on angel"
Aziraphale said nothing.
Crowley sighed. "Fine. Fine! I-"
"What are you lot doing?", Adam asked. He was watching this happen from beside Gabriel which is where he now stood.
Gabriel, in a very dignified manner, jumped and quickly stepped to the side with a start.
Once Beelzebub looked at the anti-antichrist the paper went up in flames. "What are you doing here, boy?".
Gabriel now stood closer to Beelzebub. Maybe even behind them a little.
"Why are you two stuck like that?". Adam stepped over to the two in the chairs. The ropes on their wrists fell off.
Crowley was quick to stand up and stand beside Adam. Aziraphale was slower to move. He rubbed his wrists and stood up to stand on the other side of Adam.
Gabriel looked between the chairs and the two. "This doesn't mean anything".
"But doesn't it?", Crowley asked with a slightly cocked head.
Beelzebub pulled Gabriel forward. If they were going down so was he.
"Alright, do it Adam!". Crowley pointed at the two.
"... Do what?". Adam looked confused.
"Give them the ole antichrist smiting?". Crowley dropped his hand a litte.
"I don't see why I have to do all of that", Adam blinked.
Crowley's stance faltered.
"What's the point of this anyway?". Adam looked between the four.
"Well this is partially your fault, young man!", Gabriel finally spoke up. "You and all your little friends".
"So I did something wrong and you're punishing them?"
"Oh no, they alzo have made miztakez".
Gabriel nodded with a self righteous smile.
".. You shouldn't kill them though". Adam crossed his arms.
"That'z just how it iz, boy", Beelzebub said with a hint of anger.
"It's not like you can just make them _not_ an angel and a demon. I mean, come on!". Gabriel sputtered afterward with a smile.
Adam looked at the two. Crowley was finally dropping his arm and Aziraphale kept glancing at him.
"But I can", Adam simply said. He looked at the two.
Aziraphale looked confused but Crowley caught on immediately.
"Ha ha, yes!", Crowley grinned.
"What?", Aziraphale looked at him.
"He's going to.. What are you going to do?". Crowley lowered his glasses again.
"Make you disappear. Unless you want something else?", Adam shrugged.
The two looked at each other.
".. We'll finally be on our side, as you say", Aziraphale offered up.
"Would that work?", Crowley glanced at the two. The invisible wall that was Adam Young was preventing them from moving.
"Doubtful!", Gabriel confirmed. He couldn't do much else.
"It's alright. I can make them forget all about you both. It'll be like you were never there from the start. Wicked right?", Adam smiled.
Crowley blinked and looked at Aziraphale again. "So. Angel?".
"Don't you dare!", Gabriel protested.
"Ztop thiz", Beelzebub hissed.
Adam scrunched his nose a little and suddenly the two could no longer be heard. That didn't stop them from trying to talk though.
Aziraphale looked around. He came to a decision. With a hesitant but determined smile he looked back at Crowley. He nodded.
Adam took a breath. Crowley realized something.
"Wait wait wait wait wait!", he waved his hands.
Aziraphale gaped. "What possibly now?".
"I didn't get to finish earlier"
Aziraphale looked exasperated. "Right now?"
Crowley huffed. "You wanted me to say it!"
Aziraphale sighed. "Go on then"
Crowley threw his hands up. "You know what, forget it"
"Crowley"
Crowley crossed his arms.
"Crowley!"
"I love ya, alright? Happy?". He let his arms fall to his sides.
Aziraphale closed his mouth.
Crowley sighed through his nose and looked away.
"I..", Aziraphale started.
"You don't have to force yourself to say it, angel", Crowley said with complete understanding but in a quiet voice.
Aziraphale squeezed his hands into fists as he gazed over the demon ahead of him. He closed his eyes tight.
Crowley looked at Adam. "How about you do the thing al-"
"I love you". Aziraphale looked surprised that those words even came out of him. "I love you", he repeated with more confidence and a smile. He relaxed.
Crowley turned to look at him. He slowly took off his glasses to stare in bewilderment.
Aziraphale took a step toward him.
Crowley copied him.
They then did this move again and again until they were only an inch apart.
"Finally bridging the gap", Crowley commented.
"Indeed we are", Aziraphale agreed.
Crowley grinned like a snake. "I love you angel"
"Oh, I love you too dear", Aziraphale beamed.
They seized each other in their arms and kissed with the fiery passion of the love an angel held for a demon and the love a demon held for an angel.
Aziraphale was sitting in his bookshop, reading. He heard the bell to the door ring. He didn't need to look up to know who it was. He did hear his car pull in after all. But still he did look up. "Crowley".
Crowley was standing with an expensive bottle of wine in hand. "Hey angel. Fancy a late afternoon drink?".
Aziraphale took off his reading glasses and carefully laid them on his now closed book. "Temptation accomplished".
"Come on". Crowley held a hand out to him which happened to have a gold band on the ring finger.
Aziraphale took it with his matching ringed hand and stood up.
"So, did the plants behave?", Crowley raised a brow.
"Of course. I still think you're too hard on them though", Aziraphale frowned with a stern look.
Crowley glared at one of the ferns nearby. It shook with fear.
"Stop right this instant", Aziraphale demanded.
Crowley looked him over before leaving to get cups.
Aziraphale was momentarily distracted as he was currently calming the plant down.
Crowley used this chance to set the wine bottle down and wave his hand for one of his many records he had bought specifically to be played on the old gramophone.
He placed it under the needle.
Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy started to play through the shop.
Aziraphale sighed and looked at Crowley.
He was grinning. "You know you like this song".
"Do I?". Aziraphale stepped close to him, taking his hand.
"You do!", Crowley insisted while resting his other hand on Aziraphale waist.
Aziraphale rested his other hand on Crowley's shoulder. He sighed with a smile.
"Cheeky demon"
"Yeah, yeah"
The two danced for a while and soon forgot about the wine. To any outsider they still seemed very much ineffable. And they still were. But to Heaven and Hell they didn't even exist. They never had with a little help from Adam.
Dining at the Ritz, we'll meet at 9..