Work Text:
Aziraphale was about to close the bookshop after a rather busy day. He was really close loosing (selling) a book but magically the customer changed their mind. Thanks to that the angel could finish his day happily. All he wanted now was his warm bed and even warmer demon who he hadn't seen the whole day. Crowley was probably minding his own business, driving around London, playing practical jokes on people and just doing his demonic stuff. Fortunately, about an hour earlier he had come back home so Aziraphale knew he was also ready for cuddles. That's why, after closing the bookshop, the blonde went upstairs to meet his husband in the bed.
The ginger was checking something on his phone, not paying much attention to the angel walking in the bedroom. Aziraphale only raised his eyebrows bit thought that maybe Crowley wasn't in the mood for cuddles tonight and it was perfectly fine. He changed himself in his sleeping gown and grabbed a book, lying on the bed. Again, the demon didn't look away from his phone.
"How was your day, my dear?" Aziraphale decided to chat with his husband for a bit.
"It was normal," Crowley answered emotionlessly. However, there was something odd about the way he was speaking and acting in general. Normally, the demon would lie sprawled on the bed, the sheets tangled between his legs but now he was lying in a straight line, his limbs not daring to move an inch. He seemed as if he was holding back from shuffling closer to his husband.
"That's still good, Crowley," the angel claimed and smiled, knowing that the man probably wouldn't even notice. That's why, he decided to come back to his book.
For a longer while both of them were lying next to each other, not touching however, and minding their own business. Aziraphale from time to time let out a hum or a quiet chuckle. Crowley, on the other hand was quiet as a mouse. To the angel it seemed quite unnatural but he decided not to make a big deal of it. He thought that his husband was just tired and needed more rest. His thoughts quickly changed when we heard a sudden sob coming from the demon.
Aziraphale quickly threw away the book and moves closer to Crowley. He touched his shoulder to show his presence but he was soon pushed slightly away.
"Crowley, dear, what's happening?" he asked, worried about the demon.
"Nothing." The man tried to sound tough but the sniff he let out didn't help him.
"Darling, please, you're crying." Aziraphale touched Crowley once more but the reaction was very similar.
"Don't touch me," the demon snapped, rolling on his side, facing away from his husband. It hurt a little. Crowley had never been harsh to him. Especially in bed.
Fortunately, the blonde one knew better than to leave his husband. Instead, he pulled the demon close to his chest, giving him no way to escape. The ginger fought for a while but then something broke in him and he started to cry, hiding his face in the pillow, embarrassed.
"Shh, my dear boy, what's happening?" The angel's fingers were brushing the flaming hair but soon his moved down his arm, hip and stopped on the demon's calf, rubbing it slowly just as Crowley liked it.
The demon only shook his head in a response which worried the angel even more.
"Darling, you can tell me anything."
Crowley sniffed. "You didn't hug me today."
At first, Aziraphale thought he had misheard something. The demon, being a tough and scary guy to every stranger, was in fact incredibly cuddly, Aziraphale knew it but that confession was something he didn't expect.
"But dear, we did hug today," the angel pointed out, having remember the exact moment when he felt the ginger's arms wrapped around his waist.
"Nuh uh," Crowley murmured. "I hugged you, you didn't come to hug me."
Aziraphale was rather confused. "Darling, you could have just asked me."
"Demons don't ask for hugs, angel. They don't ask for comfort," he said and another episode of crying started. His husband gently rolled him over so that he was facing him or rather hiding his face in Aziraphale's chest. His body was shaking and at some point the angel was worried about Crowley not being able to catch a breath.
When the demon calmed down a bit thanks to the angel's hands rubbing his back, Aziraphale decided to change his way of thinking.
"My darling silly demon, you are obviously allowed to ask me for anything, no matter what Hell would say. You are my husband and whatever you need I'll do anything to give it to you," Aziraphale said, planting a kiss on the ginger's head. "If I neglected you today or for the past few days I'm deeply sorry it was never my intention to do so. However, if you need to come to me for a hug, don't think twice. I could be doing the most important thing in my life and I'd still choose to give you comfort first."
The sobs quietened a bit after hearing Aziraphale. Crowley knew he wasn't lying, he would never. Still it was difficult for the demon to just ask. It wasn't something that was taught in Hell. Whenever he had come to Aziraphale he had called himself a bother or a burden even though his husband had never showed a slight discomfort of the demon being next to him.
"I'm sorry, angel, I panicked, I don't want to force you to do things for me," he mumbled, his mind still troubles with these nasty thoughts.
Aziraphale chuckled. "Darling, I assure you nothing connected with you is forced. I'll give you all my love because you deserved it and even more."
Finally, the ginger looked up and smiled slightly. He blushed hearing the angel's soothing words, knowing that they were honest.
"So what does my lovely demon need now?" Aziraphale asked, brushing his calf to encourage him.
"A kiss, please." Short after that their lips connected in a gentle kiss during which both of them moved closer to each other.
When they pulled away, Crowley nestled in his husband's arms, feeling safe and happy. Being next to his love was all he needed. And he decided not to care about his cuddliness even if the whole Hell would laugh at him. The only thing that mattered was his life shared with the love of his life.