Chapter Text
Crowley was not an earlier riser by nature, but they still woke up before Ezra on this particular day, leaned over and pressed a kiss to their fiance’s cheek. “Ezra,” they said, just loud enough to wake him, “get up, we’re getting married today!”
Ezra opened his eyes slowly, blinking away sleep before he reached up and pulled Crowley into his arms. “Indeed we are. You’ve only got a few more hours of being my fiance,” he murmured.
“I’d rather be your spouse, anyways,” Crowley replied.
Ezra beamed up at them. “So, shall we go get some breakfast before you have to get ready? You’re not going to let me anywhere near you once you’re getting dressed, you’re being rather insistent on keeping your outfit a secret.”
“Let’s get breakfast,” Crowley agreed, gave him another kiss. “And I’m just following tradition, Ezra, you should appreciate that, old-fashioned, traditional man you are.”
They didn’t have to get breakfast, Warlock and Delilah had arrived early in the morning to help Adam cook up a small feast. There were waffles, eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausages and all sorts of other things. “I see the plan is to make sure I don’t actually fit into my skirt,” Crowley laughed, walking up to the boys and giving them both a hug. “Thank you two, it smells amazing.”
There wasn’t really time in the busy schedule for a big breakfast, but Crowley and Ezra found it anyways. Delilah and the boys had gone to so much effort to make everything, so time would be found.
And it was good to take some time to eat and not think about the wedding plans. Crowley still had to double-check the floral arrangements, Madame Tracy had done the alterations on Ezra’s suit and for some reason hadn’t gotten it back to them yet, and there were hundreds of other wedding-day arrangements to take care of.
It was stressful to say the least, and Crowley was glad to have a moment not to think about it.
After breakfast, they went and did the finishing touches with the flowers and sent Adam to bring Ezra his boutonniere.
Most people used roses for boutonnieres, but Crowley was not most people. Ezra’s was made up of a single white lily and a couple of marigold buds.
Crowley’s own bouquet had the same flowers, and their corsage matched Ezra’s boutonniere.
They were fairly proud of their work. The flowers and centerpieces were lovely, everything seemed to be in good condition, and Crowley finally allowed themself to take the flowers off the list of things they were still working on.
Madame Tracy’s skills as a former escort made her an excellent person to go to for hair and makeup. Crowley didn’t want anything too fancy or extravagant, and their only real preference was they didn’t want an updo, so Madame Tracy had a fair amount of free reign with their hair.
It was, thankfully, a decision Crowley didn’t regret. Madame Tracy followed their request of subtle makeup, and the tight curls she made in Crowley’s hair after braiding their bangs was somehow nothing Crowley had pictured, and also perfect.
After hair and makeup. Crowley had to actually finish getting dressed, and help Warlock into his suit.
They had been right. When they bought the skirt, it had fit like a glove, but now the waist seemed just a little tight.
It was perfectly liveable, but a little strange. Crowley made a note to step on a scale in the near future. Not because they were concerned, just to confirm whether they actually had gained weight.
They took the chance to also teach Warlock to tie a tie.
It wasn’t the same as teaching Adam, the way they had crouched down to help.
Adam had muttered something about dads supposed to teach their sons to tie ties, and Crowley was relatively proud of their response.
“Well Adam, my father refused to teach me to tie a tie, given that he saw no reason for me to ever wear one. He wanted me in poofy dresses that my mother picked out. I learned to tie a tie from the stranger in the store where I bought my first suit. As for you, your father didn’t get the chance to show you. Do you think we can square up the record if I show you now?”
To their complete shock, Adam had seemed alright with that deal.
Of course, for Warlock, it should have been Thaddeus Dowling doing the teaching, but the son of the American Diplomat had actually walked up to Crowley with his red tie undone and asked them to teach him.
So Crowley had helped him with the knot, and then tied their own.
They hadn’t gotten a cape after all, they were happy in just their dress shirt, blazer and skirt, with stockings on that the garters Ezra had reminded them about several times, for some reason, held up.
That part of getting dressed, involving underclothes such as a bra, garters and stockings, they had thankfully been allowed to do without anyone else in the room.
It was their wedding, after all, and if Ezra was so insistent on garters, Crowley might as well provide the whole package.
After getting dressed, there really wasn’t much to do. Ezra was taking care of Adam, whom Crowley had taken out shopping just two days ago when he had suddenly decided to take them up on the offer of a dress rather than a suit for the occasion.
The food had already been delivered, the cake looked incredible, Crowley really had to hand that to Ezra, and Crowley officially decided it was time to relax with a glass of some strange punch they had found, since they had decided not to drink for their wedding.
Delilah decided to join them, since there was no official wedding party beyond Adam and Warlock, with Tracy and Shadwell serving as witnesses. Crowley didn’t have any bridesmaids, particularly since they weren’t one hundred percent sold on the title of bride.
But if they had been going to have a wedding party, Delilah certainly would have been a part of it. They owed a lot, nothing short of their life , to that woman and her kindness and forgiveness.
Just today, they owed their breath and the fact that the boy they had raised as their own son for ten years was present to Delilah Dachner.
Not that Delilah would hear a word of it. She insisted she had done nothing that impressive, had just done what anyone should do.
While they were sipping on their punch, they should have had time to get jittery, but Crowley was perfectly calm.
Maybe calm wasn't the right word, but they weren't nervous. They were excited.
Wedding jitters were for people who didn't know absolutely that this was the right decision.
Crowley truly did know this was right. They had no reason to be jittery.
So no matter how much Delilah and Tracy gave them a hard time, Crowley wasn't nervous. They were simply waiting patiently for it to be time to walk the aisle.
"Crowley? It's time!" Adam announced, poking his head into the room. "If you wait too long, Ezra's gonna think that you ran away!"
Adam's dress was the same colour as Crowley's skirt, with a flat neckline and the same cut skirt. It was pretty, and nothing inappropriate for a thirteen year old, or too flouncy. Adam had tried on a flouncy dress and hadn't liked it.
"You go and tell your uncle I'm not going anywhere but up to the altar with him," Crowley instructed.
Adam nodded and ran off.
Crowley stood up, brushed off their skirt, set down their glass of wine and picked up their bouquet, full of while lilies and marigolds. "Well, up you go, Warlock, I'm supposed to follow you," they said with a smile.
Ezra looked magnificent. He had a pristine white suit, a black waistcoat and a red tie that matched Crowley's own. He beamed at them as he saw them walk up the center aisle.
There were a few concessions and compromises made. They got married in Ezra's backyard, with the fallen orange and red leaves everywhere. There was no church around, but they were being married by a minister, although in an only slightly religious ceremony.
It was important to Ezra that they be married in the eyes of God, too, but he knew it was important to Crowley that the ceremony be about them. Religion was something Crowley had left behind with their parents.
So they found an in-between.
Crowley finished walking up to Ezra, handed Warlock their bouquet and took both of Ezra's hands in theirs.
"You look beautiful, dearest," Ezra whispered. Crowley smiled. "Well worth all the secrecy you made us keep."
"You're not so bad yourself."
Ezra made Crowley cry with his vows, which was something he had threatened to do, Crowley had done their best to do the same, but one crying face was really enough for a wedding.
Thankfully, Madame Tracy had used enough foresight to use waterproof makeup.
The minister smiled. "By the power vested in me, I now declare you Mister and Mx Crowley-Fell. You may now kiss your spouse."
Crowley smiled and leaned in to kiss Ezra.
Ezra met him in the middle, much like the very first kiss they had shared on New Year's Eve, with Crowley's cheapest champagne on their lips, and it had been perfect, just like this.
Crowley prayed every moment of the rest of their life would be that perfect, too.
Crowley had truly outdone themself, they were absolutely stunning. Ezra could barely keep his jaw off the ground through the entire ceremony.
Crowley was always beautiful. Ezra had been victim to that from the moment his then-neighbour had stormed into his shop. He'd been so ready to tell whoever had just ran in off and resume dealing with Adam and Crowley had stolen his breath away.
And now here he was, marrying the same person who had barged into his store. Two years later he was standing at the end of the aisle, hands intertwined with the beautiful redhead's who had tried to accost him over his nephew.
And he could hardly contain his excitement enough to read his vows and say 'I do.'
They had a few hours to themselves before the reception, which was not in Ezra's backyard, as there wasn't much room for tables and dancing, most of which was spent on pictures, and then having take-out pizza for a late lunch. They weren't set to eat dinner until eight, and Crowley was absolutely starving.
Which was unusual, it was normally Ezra who was hungry. He even suspected his spouse - goodness, Ezra loved thinking about that, even just a little bit, Crowley was his spouse now - had suggested pizza for Ezra's benefit before Crowley ate possibly more than Ezra had ever seen them eat in one sitting.
And then it was time to go to the reception.
Everything was lovely in the hall they had rented. At the head table, there were several places, for both Crowley and Ezra as well as Warlock and Adam and anyone else who wanted to come and chat.
They did have a matching set of champagne glasses, but Crowley had opted not to drink for the wedding. They wanted to remember everything and had too much of a habit of drinking too much.
Ezra had decided to join them. With dinner, they each had a glass of champagne that Crowley had picked, refusing to take no for an answer on being allowed to pick it once Ezra had mentioned one drink probably wouldn't hurt either of them, and then they drank the same sparkling fruit juices that were being served to the boys.
Dinner was spectacular, Crowley pulled Ezra up shortly after for their first dance.
Ezra didn't actually know what the song would be until it started playing. He knew immediately after would be his choice, but this one was a surprise.
Love of my life, you've hurt me
You've broken my heart, and now you leave me
Love of my life, can't you see?
Bring it back, bring it back, don't take it away from me
Because you don't know what it means to me...
"Crowley… this isn't one of your bebop songs."
Crowley smirked. "No, it is, angel, just not one I've played for you before," they explained, "I worried you might not know it, but that's why we have two songs-"
"Crowley, I went looking for songs that would mean something to you, too. This isn't one of your typical bebop songs and it's the same one I chose," Ezra said, beaming.
Crowley couldn't help it, they cackled. "You're kidding me, angel," they said.
"I'm being entirely serious."
Crowley smiled, rested their cheek on Ezra's shoulder. "As if we needed another sign for how perfect this is."
Ezra was inclined to believe the same thing. "I love you so much, Crowley," he murmured.
"I should hope so, you married me, angel," Crowley replied, only lasting a moment with a smirk on their face before they broke. "I love you too, angel. I… I thought this part of my life was something I had traded away when I was young. I… I really can't tell you how grateful I am that you came along and your nephew punched Warlock in the face to prove me wrong."
"Ugh, you two are being all soppy," Adam said, frowning as he walked up to Ezra.
"It is our first dance, Adam," Crowley pointed out with a smile. "Unless I've lost it and it's not still Queen playing."
"It is, we just think people are bored."
It was clearly Adam and Warlock who were bored, but Crowley and Ezra contemplated each other for a moment, shrugged, and then Crowley queued the DJ to change the song so everyone else could join in.
Ezra really didn't mind, although he would be honest and say that he could have kept dancing with Crowley in his arms all night and never gotten tired of it.
To Pepper's disgust, as Brian, Wensleydale, Pepper and their parents had all been invited as well, the bouquet practically hit her in the face after Crowley had thrown it, and she had hurriedly said something about 'not being a victim of the patriarchy' and handed it off to Anathema, the paramedic who had seen to Ezra's head wound, and now, Newton Pulsifer's plus one.
They hadn't had a lot of people to invite to the wedding, and Crowley had decided almost on a whim to send an invitation to the police officer they'd been in contact with for years. They had both been a little surprised when he actually RSVP'd that he would go, but all in all he was a welcome guest.
And now it was Ezra's turn, although the smaller-than-usual group of unmarried men, given Crowley and Ezra's small friend group.
“Crowley, you need to sit down if I’m supposed to get your garter, I’m not small enough to fit under your skirt standing,” Ezra murmured, placing a hand on their arm.
Crowley frowned. “Garter?”
“You are wearing one, aren’t you?”
“Yes, you reminded me, it seemed very important to you,” Crowley agreed.
“Well, you’ve thrown the bouquet like you insisted on, now it’s my turn.”
“What are you going to throw?”
“I thought you’d said you’d been to weddings before, Crowley?” Ezra asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I have!”
“Well then, you know that you throw the bouquet, and I’m supposed to throw your garter, which means I need to get it. If you’d rather, I’m sure no one will mind if you go and take it off yourself, you don’t have to be comfortable with me grabbing it in front of everyone, or-”
“Angel, if you take my garter, then what’s going to hold up my stocking?” Crowley asked, cutting him off.
Ezra was quiet for a moment. “You thought I meant you should actually wear a set of garters, didn’t you?”
Crowley didn’t even get the chance to answer before he started giggling.
“I thought it was just a thing you were into!”
“You’ve never been to a wedding where they tossed the garter at all the unmarried men?” Ezra asked.
“I grew up with a bunch of prudish mennonites, you really think we made a thing out of the groom sticking his head up my cousin’s wedding gown? We did the bouquet toss, sure, but there was no one pulling off the bride’s garters! I just thought you were asking me to wear them for you!”
“And you didn’t give me a hard time over that at all,” Ezra laughed, not ready to believe that at all.
“I was going to after our wedding! I figured I would just let you have it and then give you a hard time over wanting to see me in stockings and garters later! I look pretty good in stockings and garters, can’t blame you for wanting to see.”
Ezra didn't need any help to think about that, and now it was going to be all he thought about for the rest of the wedding.
Crowley ended up giving Ezra a bobby pin out of their hair, which had enough hairspray to stay without it. It made for a more difficult catch, but it went off mostly without a hitch.
By the time they retired, it was well into the early morning, Ezra's face ached from smiling and his feet ached from dancing, and he wanted nothing else but to crawl into his bed with his newly-named spouse.
Delilah brought Adam and Warlock back to her own home. Crowley and Ezra were honeymooning, but Crowley wasn't allowed to leave London, nevermind England, so, remembering a joke that had been made on their first date, Crowley had gone ahead and made a week-long reservation for them at the Ritz. They would go on a proper trip, with Adam, and Warlock if Delilah allowed it, in tow, when Crowley's house arrest was over.
"Right," Crowley said with a grin, flopped down onto the plush mattress beside Ezra, tie thrown across the back of a chair and shirt half-unbuttoned. "What do you want to do now, and if you say sleep, I'm going to smack you."
"Well, you did say something about getting all dressed up in stocking and garters for me, dear."
"I did say that, didn't I? Well, come on then, husband, come and see!"
Ezra liked the sound of that.