Chapter Text
Aziraphale smiled.
He ran a hand once again gently through Crowley's hair, kissing his forehead.
"Do you want to lay down a bit, dear?"
Crowley kept his eyes closed for a moment, before letting out a small breath. "Doesn't sound bad."
The angel's smile widened. He sat up slightly, keeping his hand on the back of Crowley's head, stroking his hair gently on an "it'll be okay" reassuring kind of way.
The demon sat up as well, rubbing his eyes gently. He stayed in place for a moment, just recharging. Aziraphale didn't leave his side, stroking his hair and caressing the back of his neck.
He knew it was a hard topic to approach. He remembered when he first met Crowley, and how the not-so-demon-at-the-time smiled at all the nebulae and stars he created out of his own hands.
That's why he almost went to back to heaven, indeed. He felt like he needed to bring that smile that Crowley kept back when he was an angel. The way he grinned, making little hand movements around and just goofing with star powder.
But it wouldn't be that easy. In fact, that wouldn't be the solution. He realized being back in heaven wouldn't bring Crowley's smile back. In fact, far from that. With the Fall, had came change. The demon wouldn't instantly be the angel he was before just by turning into an angel again.
He had changed with time. He had become more him. Less carefree than he was back when he was an angel, becoming more analysing and watchful. He had turned into what Aziraphale knew Crowley as Crowley. And he wouldn't throw that away for a change of wing colour.
That's why he decided to stay on Earth, instead. Cause he realized that was what would bring the demon's smile back as if he was seeing stars and creating nebulae again. But instead, he was seeing Aziraphale and creating future.
The angel was brought back to Earth from his thoughts by the demon's voice.
"Angel?" He asked gently.
"Oh, I'm sorry, dear, got a bit carried away there. Yes?" He answered, placing his hand on Crowley's.
"I was asking if you wanted to lay with me." He whispered on a quiet tone. That was normal from Crowley, he thought. The demon tended do be more gentle and quiet when emotional. He squeezed Crowley's hand.
"I have a better idea, dear. Can you sit on the ground please?" Aziraphale asked, standing up carefully. Crowley stood up hesitantly, before walking to the center of the rug by the window and sitting on it. Aziraphale gave him a small smile, walking into a room they mostly used for storage for a moment.
He waited for the angel for a minute, before seeing Aziraphale walk out pulling a small machine out. It was like a small side table with wheels, and it had something on top that was being covered with a piece of fabric. From what, he didn't know, but the thing seemed to have quite the dust building up.
"Would you mind closing your eyes and laying down for me?" Aziraphale asked. Crowley did as told and laid down, resting his hands on his own chest. With a small noise, he heard Aziraphale remove the piece of fabric from the machine and sitting next to him. The angel laid down as well, his hand meeting Crowley's.
One last snap of his fingers gently before Crowley heard "okay, you can open your eyes, dear."
The demon did as told once again, his not-so-human eyes taking a moment to adjust and focus before he came to realization about what was truly happening.
The machine turned out to be a small, old projector. Aziraphale had made it so it was facing the dark wood ceiling, projecting images of zoomed in stars so they could be perceived easily.
The demon's eyebrows raised at the sight, his eyes getting instantly hypnotized by the scene. He looked into Aziraphale's side for a moment, meeting the angel's staring eyes.
"Is that good?" Aziraphale asked, stroking his thumb across Crowley's hand. Crowley nodded gently, looking back up at the ceiling. He brought his free hand up to his eyes for a second to wipe a small tear from his eyes, letting out a small sniffle.
Aziraphale smiled, and hugged him, wrapping his arms around the demon. Crowley wrapped his arms around Aziraphale as well, hiding his face in Aziraphale's chest. The angel kissed the top of his head. No words needed to be said, but the kiss already said enough.
'Oh, what I'd give to give you the stars, the true stars back, dear. What I'd give to see that pure smile again, no problems or trauma behind it. How I regret not having protected it at the moment, not letting it get hurt or broken by anyone or anything. You do not know, dear.'
Aziraphale sighed, running a hand across the demon's back. If Crowley couldn't have the true stars, that was alright, cause he didn't need them either. He already had the biggest star of them all in his arms.