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Crowley loved sleeping, it was one of the few human pleasures he thoroughly enjoyed. Sleeping was to Crowley what eating was to Aziraphale. Unfortunately, ever since they avoided the apocalypse sleep had become his enemy. When he slept the demon would have nightmares about losing Aziraphale. So instead he paces back and forth in his apartment until it's time to meet Aziraphale.
"Oh sod it," the demon looks at his watch, it was too early to ring Aziraphale for dinner but he was so restless he had to do something.
"Aziraphale," Crowley picked up his phone and called the angel. "Hey, fancy an early dinner?"
"Yeah, great, I'll be there in ten," the demon hung up and headed out the door.
Aziraphale paced back and forth in his book shop. He had just ushered out the lone customer and put up the closed sign after he got off the phone. Since they saved the world, and avoided the wrath of their head offices a few weeks again the pair had been meeting every day for dinner, and the occasional lunch. The angel could sense something was off with Crowley lately and wondered why he was in such a rush for dinner, when the demon barely even touched his food.
"Well I simply must ask him what's bothering him," Aziraphale said out loud to no one in particular. The angel went to wait outside for Crowley when the demon knocked on his door.
"Hello dear," Aziraphale smiled as he opened the door. "Before we go out do come in for a bit."
"Sure," Crowley sauntered in. "Whatever you want angel. What’s on your mind?” The demon flopped down on the couch limbs hanging off the sides.
“Crowley,” Aziraphale sat in the chair across from the demon. “I think something is bothering you. You’re not quite yourself these past few weeks. I just want you to know if something is troubling you, you could talk about it, you know?”
“Angel,” Crowley sighed, maybe talking about it would help. “You’re right, something is bothering me.”
“Well,” the angel smiled satisfied he was right. “When you’ve been friends with someone for over 6,000 years you know when something is bothering them.”
“Oh we’re friends?” Crowley scoffed, but when he saw the angel’s face drop he let out a sigh and kept talking. “I’m sorry angel, I know you’ve apologized and we sorted all that out.”
“I truly am sorry for all the times I’ve hurt you,” Aziraphale forced a smile. “You are my best friend, and you can tell me anything that’s bothering you.”
“I know your sorry, that was a low blow.” Crowley continued. “I haven’t been sleeping.”
“Oh,” Aziraphale pondered how to respond. Crowley didn’t need to sleep, but then again Aziraphale didn’t need to eat either but he enjoyed it much like the demon enjoyed sleeping. “Well maybe you need a new bed. Why don’t you try and have a nap right now, that bed I’ve got upstairs that never gets any use. . .”
“It’s not that,” the demon cut the angel off. “I want to sleep, but every time I close my eyes I have horrible nightmares. But there’s not really night nightmares they are memories, of losing you. When I thought I lost you it felt worse then when I fell. That’s why I went and got pissed in the pub, no point in saving the world if you weren’t in it.”
“Oh. Oh my dear,” Aziraphale had no idea Crowley was hurting so deep. The angel stood in front of the demon. “Get up,” he demanded.
“That’s all you have to say?” The demon said as he did what he was interested. “I just bore my soul to you and get up is all you have to say. What are you doing?”
“I’m hugging you,” Aziraphale wrapped his arms around the demon hugging him tightly.
“Why?” Crowley was confused but relaxed into the hug a bit.
“Because Crowley,” Aziraphale kept hugging the demon. “You are my best friend and it suddenly occurred to me we’ve never hugged.”
“Angel,” Crowley sighed, tears starting to form at the corner of his eyes. “You don’t have to do this.”
“My dear,” Aziraphale let go and took Crowley’s glasses off so he could look him in the eyes. “You are the only friend I’ve ever had. I want to spend every day exploring this world with you. I think I know how we can solve your sleeping problem.”
“How,” Crowley raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s go upstairs, you’ll sleep and I’ll be right there so you know I’m okay,” Aziraphale took the demon’s hand and started to lead him upstairs.
“Aziraphale,” Crowley paused before they went into the apartment about the bookshop. “Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it,” Aziraphale smiled.
“Will you lay down with me?” The demon asked shyly.
“Of course,” Aziraphale got on the bed. “Who knows maybe I’ll give this sleeping thing a try, you seem so fond of it.”
“Thank you, angel,” the demon felt like he was dreaming. “For the hug, for being my friend, and most of all for choosing to spend time with me.”
“Of course we’re friends,” Aziraphale winked. “Why ever would you think we weren’t.”
“Shut up,” Crowley crashed down on the plush bed next to Aziraphale. “You should sleep more often, this bed is really nice.”
“Well,” Aziraphale yawned. “I think I will give it a try.”
The pair spent the next two days sleeping soundly, cuddled up together.