Chapter Text
Crowley looked up from the film playing on his laptop with a frown. His finger absently hit the space bar to pause the film and he listened.
“Aziraphale, was that a knock at the door?” he asked.
There was a long pause then Aziraphale finally responded with, “Hmm?”.
Crowley looked over to see the angel was completely engrossed in a dusty old book he had picked up from some little bookstore. The demon sighed and uncoiled from his spot on the couch, knowing he should at least check. It wouldn’t have been the first time they had missed a visitor simply because they had been too caught up in other things to notice someone was knocking at the door. He placed the laptop on a side table and moved through the cottage to the front door. He seriously considered just going back to Aziraphale since whoever it was, if anyone was even there, had not bothered to try knocking again.
Still, he went and opened the door. No one was there. He leaned out to glance and see if anyone was walking away, then looked down as sometimes people left things just outside the door. He blinked and stared down at the little bundle on the door step.
“Aziraphale!” he called, already leaning down to carefully scoop up the bundle. Once it was securely cradled in one arm, he raised his sunglasses and squinted into the darkness, searching for any sign of another person. “Aziraphale! Get your angelic arse off the couch and get over here!”
He heard Aziraphale sigh and shuffle toward him. Crowley scanned the dark one more time then pulled the door shut, bringing the bundle inside with him.
“What is it that has you so worked up, Crowley?” Aziraphale grumbled and froze when he saw the bundle in Crowley’s arms. “Oh,” the angel breathed the word softly. Crowley gently pulled open the top of the bundle, revealing its contents further. The child inside screwed up their face at the light and brought a pudgy, uncoordinated hand up to rub at their face. Aziraphale joined him, hands reaching then tugging at his vest nervously.
“They’re so little,” he hummed.
“They’re just a baby, angel. No more than a few months old,” Crowley replied.
“May I?” Aziraphale asked, holding out his arms. Crowley hesitated.
“We should really take them-,” he started, but the way Aziraphale looked at him made him stop with a sigh and carefully hand the baby over. Aziraphale cradled it, looking down in wonder.
“How did you get here, little one?” the angel asked softly.
“My question is why us. Clearly it wasn’t Heaven or Hell or they’d’ve left instructions,” Crowley grumbled. “There are clinics and programs for this kind of thing.”
“Perhaps they couldn’t get there. The nearest clinic is a fair ways off,” Aziraphale replied, never taking his eyes from the child. Crowley opened his mouth to argue but Aziraphale was cooing at the baby, gently taking its hand, and he realized the angel was already done listening to him. He closed it with an irritated sigh and looked out the window.
“Wonder where they went,” he mumbled.
“Hmm?”
“Mum or Dad. Whoever left it. Wondering who they were and where they went off to. Just… Something about this is sitting odd with me.”
“You’re worrying too much, my dear.”
“I rather think I’m worrying just enough, angel.” Aziraphale ignored this and instead gave his full attention to the babe. The child kicked and grabbed the angel’s finger tightly, pulling it tightly to them.
“Y’do realize we need to take them to the authorities, angel,” Crowley said softly. Aziraphale looked up at him then, a complicated expression on his face.
“Crowley.”
The demon held up his hand, interrupting his angel, “Aziraphale, we don’t know who or why this kid was left here with us. We need to do this properly, for their sake,” he said, turning the hand and gesturing at the child in Aziraphale’s arms. Aziraphale shifted, looking down at the child again.
“Angel, you know I’m right.”
“Yes, I know,” Aziraphale sighed. “It is quite late though.”
“No, Aziraphale, no. You’re already-,” Crowley started but cut himself off at the look in Aziraphale’s eyes. He sighed. “Fine. Just till morning-.”
Aziraphale beamed at him, crossing the floor and wrapping one arm around Crowley to crush him in a careful half hug.
“Thank you, my dear,” he said, planting a kiss on Crowley’s cheek before snapping his fingers and walking up the stairs to a brand new nursery that hadn’t been there before and most certainly hadn’t been stocked with any of the necessities for a small child before the baby had arrived. Crowley sighed and looked out the window yet again.
“What on Earth am I getting myself into this time?” he murmured, before turning to head up the stairs and help his angel.