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“Angel! C’mon!” Crowley called while rushing into the bookshop. Aziraphale needed to get in the car this time because the forces of heaven really were out for them now. “Aziraphale!” He called again, heading to the back to see his angel facing a shelf of books, unmoving. Crowley strode up to him, his long legs making quick work of it and set a hand on Aziraphale’s shoulder.
“Angel c’mon we really need to go-” He stopped as Aziraphale turned, giving him a confused, blank look.
“So sorry dear, I’m afraid I don’t know quite where I am.”.
What.
“Aziraphale, you’re in your bookshop.” Crowley said, shaking his head.
“Mine?” Aziraphale asked, looking around like he was seeing the place for the first time. No, no, no, no, no, no this cannot be happening not now not to Aziraphale. First those others, sure they were whatever but not Aziraphale.
“Aziraphale what-” He started but Aziraphale stepped back.
“Do I know you?” He asked and Crowley’s heart sank. Of course you know me you idiot please.
“Angel- Crowley, it's Crowley Aziraphale.” He insisted on stepping towards Aziraphale who stepped back once more. Aziraphale looked almost scared of Crowley. Not once in six thousand years did Aziraphale look scared of Crowley. Not even at the wall in Eden when he had every reason to.
“I’m afraid I don’t know you dear.”.
Dear. Not “my dear”, just dear.
“Angel, we’ve- six thousand years we’ve been together, six thousand years of memories.” His voice broke. This could not possibly be happening, not to him. Crowley was full of good fortune all the time. An eternal, though internal, optimist through and through, very few things shook him. Taking away his angel was one of them.
“I’m terribly sorry but I don’t know who you are.” Aziraphale said a little more firmly. Crowley taking slow steps towards him and Aziraphale taking steps back.
“The Garden? You protected me from the rain, didn’t smite me?” He suggested and Aziraphale shook his head.
“Noah’s ark? We hung out with that lone unicorn while it rained.”
Another head shake.
“Jesus getting crucified?” Another head shake. “France? We ate crepes?” He pleaded, steps getting a little quicker, Aziraphale panicking a bit.
“I can’t recall a time we shared-”
“We did though!” Crowley started to lose his resolve, he had to remember. “I saved you from getting your head cut off and we had crepes! We’ve shared countless things, crepes in France, wine after that church blew up, you gave me holy water.” Aziraphale bumped into the shelf on the wall and Crowley grabbed him by the lapels of his coat, familiar fabric he’d gripped and held onto time and time again. “Please angel.”. Tears started coming, Crowley could feel them. He thought of all those years of meeting, restaurants in Rome and Greece, festivals, museums, dances, diners, parks.
“I will have to ask you to release me.” Aziraphale said shakily. Crowley pulled off his sunglasses and Aziraphale’s eyes widened at his amber, snake ones.
“We stopped the bloody apocalypse Aziraphale please.” He begged, the tears that had pooled on his bottom lids had spilled over, sending hot streaks down his face. Aziraphale had to remember he just had to. You don’t spend six thousand years together the way these two did just for one of them to forget. You don’t stop the end of the world and just forget that.
“I really do not know what you’re talking about now please let me go you fiend!” Aziraphale's voice quivered.
Crowley let go and sank to his knees in front of Aziraphale and started to sob. Just a few years ago he’d been knocked to the floor in this very bookshop crying over the loss of his friend who hadn’t really been lost at all but now, now Crowley didn’t know. If Aziraphale forgot six thousand years…
“Now I’m really very sorry about whatever it is you’re going on about dear, but I really cannot help you.” Aziraphale said regretfully.
Crowley looked up at him, Aziraphale was pressed against the bookshelf, looking down at Crowley in distress, concern, and confusion. Crowley had been an angel once, he could still read emotions of beings, he knew how Aziraphale felt about him. He reeked of love when Crowley was around, he adored it, he adored Aziraphale. His angel. Aziraphale wasn’t full of love anymore. He was confused and scared and upset. Crowley had done the one thing he hadn’t ever done for six thousand years and scared Aziraphale.
“Please..” Crowley muttered out, “Please Aziraphale, you have to remember you’re an angel, you’re my angel.”
Aziraphale only blinked.