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It was February 3rd, 1793 in Paris, when Crowley realized that he was in love with Aziraphale.
The two of them were in Aziraphale’s bookshop at the time. Aziraphale was sitting, straight and proper, on his chair while reading The Tempest, and Crowley was sitting on the other side of the room, watching him through his dark shades.
The sun had already set, and there was a wild snowstorm outside, completely obscuring their view out the window.
The possibility occurred to him as he stared at Aziraphale, the dim light of the oil lamps illuminating his soft features.
Is it feasible that, after all of this time, I have actually grown fond of Aziraphale? We were adversaries in the beginning, but times have changed. We may be on different sides of this war, but that does not mean that we have to despise each other... right?
But he’s an angel, and I’m a demon. How would a relationship like that even work? Would he ever actually love someone like me? Is he even capable of loving a demon?
Then again, I never thought that a demon would be capable of love… especially loving an angel…
“You’re thinking loudly again,” Aziraphale interrupted his thoughts as he turned the page of his book.
Crowley cleared his throat as he uncrossed his legs and set his wine glass on the table next to the sofa. “No, I’m not,” he mumbled quickly.
Giving him the side eye, Aziraphale responded, “You are.”
Crowley stared at him, silently telling him that he was wrong and that he should get back to his book. However, since Aziraphale was… Aziraphale, that didn’t happen.
“Well, if you are going to be like that, I’m going to have to take this,” he picked up the wine glass from the side table, “And replace it with a nice pot of tea.” He walked away, wine glass in hand.
A few minutes later, he returned with a tray in his hands, carrying a tea pot and two mugs. He set it down and poured Crowley a cup, exactly how he liked it.
Crowley took the cup from him, his lips pressed into a thin line as he stared down at it.
“Crowley,” Aziraphale said. “I’m not going to make you say anything. We’ve been together here long enough for you to know that.” He tilted his head to the side, studying Crowley’s expression. “Something’s bothering you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Crowley said, gesturing his cup towards Aziraphale. “I’m not bothered by it. It’s just odd.”
“Odd?”
“Unexpected,” Crowley clarified.
“How so?” Aziraphale asked, taking a sip of his tea.
“Do you think that we’re friends?”
Aziraphale raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. “Yes,” he said simply. “Yes, I suppose we are.”
“You don’t think that’s… odd?”
“Well, it’s definitely odd,” Aziraphale responded with an amused smile. “But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t possible.”
After taking a big gulp of his tea, Crowley asked, “And love?”
“Friends can love each other. Indeed, they can.”
“And if it’s not platonic love?”
A soft, kind smile grew on Aziraphale’s face. “Crowley, I love you. Of course, I love you”
“I don’t mean like a friend or a brother,” Crowley added hesitantly.
“Neither do I.”
Crowley didn’t answer. There was something else that he wasn’t sure how to say. Something that could potentially go much worse.
“You’re still thinking,” Aziraphale noted.
“If I were to say that... that I didn’t want to... have sex... what-” Crowley cut himself off, pursing his lips together as he looked at the ground. He was suddenly extremely grateful that he hadn’t taken off his sunglasses. They had never been more useful. He didn’t want to feel Aziraphale looking into his eyes right now.
However, interrupting his thoughts, was Aziraphale’s quiet voice saying, “Oh, thank the Lord.”
Crowley glanced up and raised an eyebrow. “What?” he mumbled.
“Crowley,” he breathed, looking at him earnestly. “You have no idea how relieved I am.” Crowley raised an eyebrow, to which Aziraphale responded, “I’m asexual. I love you, Crowley, I really do, but I don’t want to have sex with you.”
Crowley suddenly sat up straight. “You... I’m asexual.”
“Really?”
“Really. I... I didn’t know that you were-”
“Crowley, did you really think that I’d be interested in all of that?
The realization hit Crowley like a truck. Oh. Oh. He couldn’t hold back his laughter. “For fucks sake,” he said through fits of laughter, putting his face in his hands.
“Don’t say that,” Aziraphale said sternly.
“Fucking hell Aziraphale!” He laughed wholeheartedly, beaming up at Aziraphale with wide eyes.
“Don’t,” he said even more sternly, eyebrows raised, although there was a hint of a smile on his lips.
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“Well, why would I say anything!? You never gave me any reason to think that you would ever... why would we... we’re supposed to be enemies!”
“Well, we’re definitely a long way past that now,” Crowley laughed, a sly smirk growing on his face.
“So, we are both asexual,” Aziraphale pondered aloud.
“Yes, it seems that we are,” Crowley remarked. “So… what are we supposed to do now?”
“I have absolutely no idea,” Aziraphale admitted. “I suppose we could… try this out, and see how it goes?”
Crowley took off his glasses and looked Aziraphale directly in the eyes. “I think… I’d like that.” A smile grew on his face, and he said, “Yeah. Yeah, I’d really like that.”
Aziraphale’s eyes sparkled as he replied. “As would I.” After a few moments, he added, “Would you… maybe like to go get some coffee?”
Smiling softly, Crowley nodded and said, “I’ll drive.”
Aziraphale stood up and walked over to where Crowley was sitting. After lingering there for a moment, he leaned down and gently brushed his thumb along Crawley’s jaw. As Crowley smiled softly, Aziraphale pressed a kiss to his cheek and quickly fled from the room.
Once he was alone, Crowley’s face flushed scarlet, and he smiled to himself as he touched the spot where Aziraphale’s lips had just been. Little did he know that, just on the other side of the wall, Aziraphale was smiling as well, touching his own lips in the same way.